According to a report in the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, months of uncertainty are now over for the Blanco team as the management has apparently signed a two and a half year contract with the American company Belkin to take over the sponsorship. Commencing at the Tour de France, the deal secures the future for a number of riders who feared that they had to find a new employer at the year's end.

The cycling world was chocked in October when one of the most loyal sponsors in the sport, the Dutch Rabobank, chose to give up the sponsorship of their eponymous team. Having backed the outfit since 1996, the bank had built up one of cycling's most recognizable teams but the USADA investigation into the Lance Armstrong affair was too much for the Dutchmen who chose to end their association with the ProTeam.

The bank promised to fulfill its financial commitments this season, thus making it possible for the team to survive under the Blanco name, and since then management has fought hard to find a replacement in time for the Tour de France. Meanwhile, the riders have had to deal with a great amount of uncertainty but they did what they could to facilitate the sponsorship search by having a fantastic start to the season, winning no less than 10 races in January and February.

Since then, the team has had more difficulties on the road but apparently it has been enough to convince American company Belkin to step in. Rumours started to surface during the Giro d'Italia - in which team captain Robert Gesink failed to live up to the huge expectations - and according to De Telegraaf a two and a half year deal has now been signed.

Starting at the Tour de France, the Americans will take over the sponsorship and thus the team will be renamed and its kit will be redesigned. The news come at a crucial time for both riders and management as most would have to start considering other opportunities during the world's biggest race where contract negotiations are often in an intense phase.

Belkin was founded in a garage in California in 1983 and has now grown into a big company with more than 12000 employees in 21 countries. Their products range from wireless home networking and entertainment, to mobile accessories, energy management, and an extensive range of cables.

If the news are confirmed, the team can now focus fully on its performances on the road, starting tomorrow with the Criterium du Dauphiné and its home-race Ronde Van Zeeland Seaports. In the former event, Laurens Ten Dam will lead the squad while Theo Bos will home to take a win in the expected sprint at the end of the latter race.