TVM (Transport Verzekerings Maatschappij) returns as a backer of a professional cycling team, after almost 12 years away from the sport. TVM was the main sponsor of teams from 1986 to 1999, but will now be just a co-sponsor, wielerupdate.nl reported.
TVM will co-sponsor the Rijke cycling team, which takes over the Van Vliet-EBH Elshof team. The contact came together through Maarten den Bakker, who raced for TVM, Rabobank, Milram, Skil-Shimano and ended his career with the Van Vliet-EBH Elshof team.
Some of the bigger successes for TV were Paris-Tours (Peter Pieters 1988 and Johan Capiot 1991), Gent-Wevelgem (Geert van Bondt 2000) and Het Volk (Capiot 1990, 1992 and Peter van Petegem 1997, 1998).
Australian Phil Anderson rode for TVM from 1988 to 1990 and won stage sin the Giro d'Italia and the Tirreno-Adriatico. He also wore the leader's jersey of the Tour de Romandie after stage 1 in 1989.
The darkest hour of the team came at the 1998 Tour de France, when the team was subjected to detailed examinations. The TVM riders were subjected to blood, urine and hair sample taking after stage 16 on July 28. The riders were held until midnight, without the chance to shower, get a massage or adequate food.
The peloton protested the treatment of the TVM riders the next day, striking several times en route to Aix-les-Bains. The bunch finally rode the course, albeit without contesting the stage and the Tour de France organizers did not count the results. The remaining riders of the TVM team dropped out when the race was staying in Switzerland, after stage 18.
TVM then withdrew from sponsorship in 1999, but is back in 2011.