New Team Sky sponsor announced.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/47608625

Sponsored by a chemicals giant!

I didn’t think they’d be able to find a sponsor more damaging than the Murdoch empire, but they’ve managed it and then some with INEOS and their fracking business: https://www.ineos.com/businesses/ineos-shale/

Yeah well they’re no more controversial than the other chemical, plastics and petrochemical companies that sponsors some of the other teams…or the state of the UAE which sponsors one, or the state of Bahrain with its own controversies. Or the middle eastern bank that is supposed to have funding links to Islamic fundamentalist organisations intent on the spread of Wahhabism and possibly funding of terrorist organisations (allegedly of course). Also plenty of financial institutions with their ‘tax efficient’ consultation services or investment products. So in good company them.

Ha wobbliscott – What a time to be alive!

Now I’m not a fan of Ineos or the owner but I do appreciate the company is one of the UK’s largest tax payers. I suspect that the SKY sponsorship is lose change to what they spend on Ben Anslie’s racing yacht.
Cycling needs big sponsors, if they start to then that has a knock on effect all the way to the lowest paid rider of the lowest funded team. After all its not able to command footy scale levels of sponsor or criminal (also see F1).

New Team Sky sponsor announced.

That’s not what it says, it says “set to be announced”.
Team Sky’s official position and statement remains which is that talks are ongoing with a number of interested parties and they will not be giving a running commentary on progress.

BBC with nothing more than speculation.

perhaps they’ve leaked the info in order to test the water?

Team Sky’s official position and statement remains which is that talks are ongoing with a number of interested parties and they will not be giving a running commentary on progress.

It might be but those in the know say it has been a done deal for a while.

Direct Energie team to be rebranded as as Total, the French oil co, so some big players coming out.

BBC with nothing more than speculation.

I think it was The Times that broke the story. But now it’s firming up.

Yeah well they’re no more controversial than the other chemical, plastics and petrochemical companies that sponsors some of the other teams…or the state of the UAE which sponsors one, or the state of Bahrain with its own controversies. Or the middle eastern bank that is supposed to have funding links to Islamic fundamentalist organisations intent on the spread of Wahhabism and possibly funding of terrorist organisations (allegedly of course). Also plenty of financial institutions with their ‘tax efficient’ consultation services or investment products. So in good company them.

Quite. Bring back the Linda McCartney veggie sausages racing team 😀

Clashes with the Ocean rescue jerseys a bit. Maybe have it being harpooned.

Linda McCartney food, is that still available? Remember the sausages were ok for meatless (bit like Walls sausages).

It might be but those in the know say it has been a done deal for a while.

Those in the know have been told to keep their mouths shut!

It might be but those in the know say it has been a done deal for a while.

Meanwhile, in Ambridge, I heard that Emma is definitely going to have an affair. nudge, wink, in the know etc

Those in the know have been told to keep their mouths shut!

Carlton Kirby? If only…

dirty money for a dirty sport? /ducks

Now I’m not a fan of Ineos or the owner but I do appreciate the company is one of the UK’s largest tax payers.

WAS, the brexit promoting arsehole who runs it, is moving his company to tax exile rather than face the consequences of his handiwork.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/feb/17/brexiter-jim-ratcliffe-uk-richest-man-plans-save-4bn-pounds-tax-monaco-move

Mind you Froome was happy to take British money to support and train him, to make him what he is, then move to Monaco when sucsess came and it was time for him to pay his dues.

@MSP Even when he moves to the the tax haven for the terminally greedy, Ineos will still be a massive UK tax payer. I agree its not enough but hey I don’t make the rules.

Its about time Macron invaded Monaco and made part of France, that would learn em.

Clashes with the Ocean rescue jerseys a bit. Maybe have it being harpooned.

On an ecological cal front that’s quite funny. ^^

Shame really. Sky have just managed to come up with a nearly decent team kit.

Why do people have to be so rude and personal? I assume that those having a go at the head honcho are perfectly happy with others being nasty about them. Funnily enough some people are happy with us leaving the EU. Personal opinions don’t warrant disgusting abuse.

If your a size XXL and need a cycling jersey, keep an eye on ebay. There will be lots of Team Sky ones for sale soon! LOL

“Used once, I realised cycling was not for me and went back to playing golf” LOL

If your a size XXL and need a cycling jersey, keep an eye on ebay.

Stealth advert. Mods alerted.

I assume that those having a go at the head honcho are perfectly happy with others being nasty about them.

It’s not nasty to point out that he’s a brexiteer who avoids paying his country’s taxes.

Mind you Froome was happy to take British money to support and train him, to make him what he is, then move to Monaco when sucsess came and it was time for him to pay his dues.

Agreed, but same could be said for gee as well tbf.

Why do people have to be so rude and personal? I assume that those having a go at the head honcho are perfectly happy with others being nasty about them. Funnily enough some people are happy with us leaving the EU. Personal opinions don’t warrant disgusting abuse.

Maybe it’s because it’s been proven hes a greedy ahole, who despite being worth 21 billion is trying to avoid paying his share of tax. The man has more money than he will ever need, it’s pure greed, nothing less. And throw in the fact he has done that after campaigning for brexit makes him an even bigger dickhead.

I always struggled to balance supporting a UK team like sky with the fact that they were owned by Murdoch. My contempt for this chap makes my ongoing support even less likely.

It is very cool and healthy for the sport that most of the top-flight teams rely on rich guys with bad ethics.

Sorry mt but unless it’s a very recent change, the fiscal HQ of Ineos is in Belgium as they have lower corporation tax rates than the UK. The company I worked for was both a customer (for polymer granules) and supplier (of the bags it was packed in) to Ineos and I distinctly remember having to send invoices to Belgium despite dealing with their Grangemouth operation.

brakes

Member
perhaps they’ve leaked the info in order to test the water?

Contaminated, from all the fracking innit

Now I know it’s a passionate debate….

Mind you Froome was happy to take British money to support and train him, to make him what he is, then move to Monaco when sucsess came and it was time for him to pay his dues.

Work out your residence status
Whether you’re UK resident usually depends on how many days you spend in the UK in the tax year (6 April to 5 April the following year).

You’re automatically resident if either:

you spent 183 or more days in the UK in the tax year
your only home was in the UK – you must have owned, rented or lived in it for at least 91 days in total – and you spent at least 30 days there in the tax year
You’re automatically non-resident if either:

you spent fewer than 16 days in the UK (or 46 days if you haven’t been classed as UK resident for the 3 previous tax years)
you work abroad full-time (averaging at least 35 hours a week) and spent fewer than 91 days in the UK, of which no more than 30 were spent working

With a race calendar that has already started and runs through into Sept/Oct most of the top guys will struggle to make that much time in the UK, heaps of pro’s are based down that neck of the woods as it gets you mountains and much better weather through the off/low season and in reality you get to pick one country to pay tax in, for some it would probably be harder to pay it in the UK.

I’m sure it’s not a question many on STW have had to consider but if your job was all over the world and you could pick your base where would it be?

Yorkshire of course 😁 hth!

I’m sure it’s not a question many on STW have had to consider but if your job was all over the world and you could pick your base where would it be?

Monaco isn’t even a nice place, it is a concrete scar on the med. It is inhabited by the worlds richest aholes for one reason, because of tax avoidance. My personal moral compass would guide me somewhere I wasn’t **** over everyone else, I am surprised hero worship is affecting the needle on yours.

Monaco is a soulless lifeless chintzy dump, Id rather live in Torremolinos

I can confirm Monaco is a gilded cage stuffed to brim with with arseholes.

If you had the money to get out and away from it you’d gladly pay out…..oh.

I’m sure it’s not a question many on STW have had to consider but if your job was all over the world and you could pick your base where would it be?

‘I’m sure our couple will love my third property, a bijoux oil refinery with infinity pool in one of the most prestigious suburbs of Torremolinos. There’s a vibrant local night life, plenty of cafes and a buoyant ex-pat community of professional road cyclists… But will they prefer it to the Monaco chemical plant with its artisan sheep herd and open fire?’

Sponsored by a chemicals giant!

See all those ultra lightweight carbon bikes and equipment?
See all that stretchy tight clothing?
See the black bits that sit between the road and the wheel and foster many debates here?
What do you think they are made from?

Given the size of the team entourage that flies around the world and then drives a fleet of trucks, cars and busses around after the bikes there seems something poetic about them being sponsored by an Oil Refining business. Did you think cycling was eco friendly?

Did you think cycling was eco friendly?

Cycling as a means of transport. Very.
Cycling as a sport. It’s up there with F1 for the amount of greenhouse gas emissions, plastic pollution and carbon wastage.

Well, like many I’m conflicted about Ineos becoming the new sponsor:

Cycling needs solid, stable sponsors and its great to see the team staying British (well, sort of British at least).

However, I’m pretty downbeat about Ineos, their businesses, their interests in fracking, their political lobbying, and Jim Ratcliffe’s incongruence/hypocrisy strongly lobbying for Brexit then moving to Monaco to avoid paying UK taxes.

I’m trying to see the good in Ineos becoming the new sponsor, but WTF?

Sky news are reporting it:

https://news.sky.com/story/team-sky-sir-jim-ratcliffe-britains-richest-man-buys-cycling-team-11670136

I’m trying to see the good in Ineos becoming the new sponsor

I’m not really bothered who sponsors the team. Do people get this het up about football team sponsors?

Do people get this het up about football team sponsors?

Probably not, but you still get to support “Arsenal” or “Spurs” or whoever. In fact I’ll bet most fans can’t even name many of the football team sponsors. Whereas in cycling you’ll support “Team Sky” and now “Team Ineos”

I’m trying to see the good in Ineos becoming the new sponsor

They aren’t Sky