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Loughborough and Le Col agree strategic partnership

Loughborough University has agreed a strategic partnership with leading performance cycling brand, Le Col.

The unique partnership will allow for university-wide collaboration, with academic Schools delivering development and support throughout the working relationship.

The agreement will also see Le Col integrated into Loughborough’s sports offering by providing racewear for its cycling and triathlon programmes and becoming a key sponsor of the Lightning Cycling franchise.

Le Col was founded by former Great Britain cyclist Yanto Barker who remains central to the brand’s vision of performance perfection. Its wide-ranging cycling attire is produced in Italy using the highest quality materials and worn in the World Tour by BORA – hansgrohe and Pro Continental women's team, Le Col Wahoo.

Jo Simpson, Commercial and Facilities Director for Loughborough Sport, said:

“I am immensely proud to announce this new strategic partnership with LeCol and Loughborough University. We are always looking to work with the very best brands and organisations and Le Col represents the very pinnacle of performance cycling. 

“This partnership brings together everything that makes Loughborough special. Integrating world-leading and impactful academic research into performance cycling and creating a unique developmental pathway for our outstanding athletes. Through this partnership, we will embed world-leading innovation into the world of cycling to break new boundaries in the sport.”

A cyclist in action

Dr Richard Ferguson, Reader in Human and Exercise Physiology, School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, added:

“This is a hugely exciting relationship which will allow a multi-disciplinary team the opportunity to collaborate on pushing the boundaries of performance cycling. 

“Utilising impactful evidence-based research our focus is to enhance rider performance through continuous innovation, integration and application of scientific and engineering excellence.”

Yanto Barker, Le Col’s founder, said:

“As a brand we will always strive to keep pushing the boundaries of cycling performance, and our relationship with Loughborough will allow us to do so by leveraging its world-class facilities and academic expertise.”

For more information on Lightning Cycling visit: https://www.lboro.ac.uk/sport/performance/lightning/cycling/ and for more information on Le Col visit: https://lecol.cc/.

Notes for editors

Press release reference number: 22/116

Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.

It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme, named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2022 QS World University Rankings and University of the Year for Sport by The Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2022.

Loughborough is in the top 10 of every national league table, being ranked 7th in The UK Complete University Guide 2022, and 10th in both the Guardian University League Table 2022 and the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022.

Loughborough is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’ and is in the top 10 in England for research intensity. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, Loughborough has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes.

The Loughborough University London campus is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers postgraduate and executive-level education, as well as research and enterprise opportunities. It is home to influential thought leaders, pioneering researchers and creative innovators who provide students with the highest quality of teaching and the very latest in modern thinking.

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