Giant-Shimano to become Giant-Alpecin in 2015 after shampoo brand signs four-year deal

Giant-Shimano will be renamed Giant-Alpecin from 2015 after the German shampoo brand agreed to become co-title sponsor for the next four years.

The deal secures the long-term future of the Dutch-registered team, which had been uncertain following the withdrawal of Argos at the end of 2013.

Alpecin specialise in caffeine-based shampoo and their involvement is set to deepen the German influence in the team, which is already led by German sprinters Marcel Kittel and John Degenkolb.

Team manager Iwan Spekenbrink said: “With our performances both last year and during the current season, we have proved that our way of working is the good one. We also want to continue in this way and will be doing so.

'Doping, just for your hair'

“With the entry of Alpecin we will try to strengthen ourselves, also with the addition of highly talented young German riders.”

Heads are likely to be turned by Alpecin’s involvement with a cycling team given that they have previously used the marketing slogan “Doping, just for your hair”.

However, Alpecin executive director Eduard Dorrenberg insisted: “There is a clear division here between the sponsoring of a professional cycling team on one hand and a metaphor used purely for advertising for a shampoo on the other, one that evidently improves the performance of the hair root.

“Consumers understand this advertising message, and the German advertising council has approved it. As a consequence of the clear split, the slogan will not be used in connection with our cycling communications.”