SKY is set to withdraw from cycling following the European pay TV broadcaster’s takeover by American company Comcast despite winning the Tour de France for a sixth time with Geraint Thomas this year.

Team Sky will race under a different name from 2020 only if new funding can be found, according to Sky.

The team was established in 2009 by Dave Brailsford, the brains behind Britain’s 14 medals in cycling at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, with the target of producing the country’s first Tour de France champion. That was achieved in 2012 with Bradley Wiggins, who was later beset by controversies that engulfed the team.

Chris Froome went on to win four Tour titles and Geraint Thomas became the third Team Sky rider to triumph in France.

Sky CEO Jeremy Darroch says “the end of 2019 is the right time for us to move on as we open a new chapter in Sky’s story.” (SD-Agencies)