After extraordinarily successful years as an operator and title sponsor of a Continental Cycling Team, which encouraged professional cycling in Germany by developing talents, while also achieving great results, Stölting Service Group planned to rise to Professional Continental level for 2016 and finally made it happen.

To be able to be competitive at the highest level, that step should originally have been made together with a partner.

Since that partner, Danish company Cult, didn't fulfil its duties, Stölting Service Group, as a company that is dependent on a trustful relationship with its employees, decided to shoulder the responsibility and financed the team, with all its staff and riders, alone.

Stölting is proud to have acted in this way, and still believes in the future of German professional cycling.

However, a sole engagement of this year's amount is not reasonable for a company like Stölting Service Group, which only operates in Germany, in the long-term.

Come the end of the season, the team will be able to look back on a successful year’s racing across different continents, achieving success along the way, while continuing to help emerging talent shine on the biggest stage. This talent development will return as a major focus in 2017, driving the growth of German cycling and nurturing talent, as Hans Mosbacher, Stölting Service Group CEO, explains.

“Our goal at the end of last year was to grow the team during the 2016 season together with a partner, however this did not work out following the late withdrawal of our title sponsor. It was never our plan to go it alone, however, we took responsibility for the people already involved, invested in the team and made it happen.

“We’ve discussed our goal as a company, and that goal is to focus on developing talent and we think that we can best achieve this at the Continental level, with a fresh approach. We still believe in the revival of German cycling and want to continue to contribute to this successful growth.”

The team is also happy to announce the arrival of a trustful co-title sponsor, that shares the same values and has the same focus as Stölting Service Group. The young and up-and-coming company “Sail Active” (www.sailactive.com) is going to upgrade its previous engagement. With its attractive offers also for cyclists and fans, that company fits perfectly with the team.

Following the Team Launch in Düsseldorf in February, the team has gone on to race at the highest level, taking five wins to date, including a Danish national road race title for Alexander Kamp.