Aqua Blue Sport, the multi retailer online cycling marketplace and Ireland’s first UCI Professional Continental team, have teamed up with SweetSpot to become their Official Online Retailer and Digital Partner, in a move that will see the Irish brand launch a dedicated online retail store for the OVO Energy Tour of Britain, OVO Energy Women’s Tour and The Tour Series.
Their presence at the Tour Village, the promotional zone found at each of SweetSpot’s events, will according to the team “facilitate engagement with independent cycling retailers, brands and distributors located in or near to the races’ host towns and cities” and “will bring cycling enthusiasts around the world closer to Britain’s leading men’s and women’s professional races through their industry leading online marketplace.
Heath Harvey, CEO of SweetSpot, said: “In partnering with Aqua Blue Sport, SweetSpot are working with a brand who have made a great impact in the world of cycling in a short space of time. Our shared technical and digital expertise will offer both companies significant opportunities to grow their brands in a commercially competitive marketplace.
“Fans of our races around the world will benefit from our dedicated online retail store while, at the same time, we can bring the OVO Energy Tour of Britain, OVO Energy Women’s Tour and The Tour Series closer to independent bike stores, an integral part of the British cycling scene.”
Aqua Blue Sport launched in 2017 by Irish businessman Rick Delaney and made an instant impact in the cycling world. American rider Larry Warbasse claimed his country’s national road race title as well as a stage victory in the Tour de Suisse, before Austrian Stefan Denifl capped the team’s Grand Tour debut by winning stage 17 of the prestigious Vuelta a España.
Rick Delaney, founder of Aqua Blue Sport, said: “Aqua Blue Sport is proud to join forces with SweetSpot as the Official Online Retailer and Digital Partner. This dynamic collaboration is the recognition of the strength and value of our online marketplace – the foundation of our ambition to be a self-sustained professional cycling team.
“OVO Energy Tour of Britain, OVO Energy Women’s Tour and the Tour Series have captured the hearts of cycling fans in Britain and worldwide, and we look forward to growing together and amplifying the reach of the sport through a dedicated partnership that will unite elite pro-racing with elite retailers and brands in Britain and worldwide.
Among the products that will be made available to cycling fans via www.aquabluesport.com are the OVO Energy Tour of Britain, OVO Energy Women’s Tour and The Tour Series leaders’ jerseys, as well as the exclusive Tour clothing range, produced exclusively by Le Col, SweetSpot’s Official Cycle Clothing Partner. The store will also feature Dare 2b’s line of casual clothing and race t-shirts for SweetSpot events.
The OVO Energy Tour of Britain takes place between Sunday 2 and Sunday 9 September 2018. Full details of this year’s route will be unveiled at the National Launch in the spring. The race route for the five-day OVO Energy Women’s Tour, which forms part of the UCI Women’s WorldTour calendar, will be announced during February.
