UCI code GEO Disbanded 2011 Bicycles Fuji | Registered Spain Bicycle Fuji Bikes Founded 2004 | |
 | ||
Status UCI Professional Continental | ||
Geox-TMC was a Spanish-based road bicycle racing team, registered for 2011 as a UCI Professional Continental team. Established as Saunier Duval–Prodir in 2004, the team has had success in one-day races such as Clásica de San Sebastián.
Contents
The team's final title sponsors were Geox, an Italian shoe company, and TMC, a multinational company that develops electric transformers with cast resin windings.
History
After team cyclist Riccardo Riccò was arrested by police following a positive test for doping after the 4th stage of the 2008 Tour de France, the team left the 2008 Tour de France before the 12th stage of the race began. Both Riccò and Leonardo Piepoli were fired from the team, but the team was still denied a place in the 2008 Vuelta a España and other UCI ProTour races. The team's sponsors withdrew their support, but new sponsors were found to retain the team's participation at the top level of the sport. The team continued through the 2009 and 2010 season sponsored by Fuji-Servetto and then later as Footon-Servetto-Fuji.
For 2011 the team secured new sponsors Geox and TMC. They entered the 2011 season as a pro continental team after failing to secure a World Tour Licence. They received a wild card invite to the Vuelta a España which they won with Juan José Cobo. On October 20 it was announced that Geox were withdrawing their sponsorship. It was later announced by the UCI that riders were free to move to other teams. On December 7, it was announced that management had failed to find a new sponsor, and would now turn their focus to helping riders find new teams, indicating that the team would not continue.