The future of Team Sky, which has delivered Tour de France wins for Britons Sir Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas, is in doubt after broadcaster Sky announced it will withdraw backing at the end of 2019.
Team Sky was launched in January 2010 and has since amassed 322 victories, including eight Grand Tour successes.
“Team Sky will continue to race under a different name if a new backer is secured to provide funding from the beginning of 2020,” said a Team Sky statement.
Wiggins has left the Team Sky set-up to establish his own team after retiring as a rider, but Froome and Thomas are still part of its roster, with reigning Tour champion Thomas signing a new three-year deal with Team Sky in September.
Graham McWilliam, chairman of Team Sky, said it was “the right time” to bring the broadcaster’s involvement with the cycling team to an end and it had been “our decision”.
“It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to have been on the journey with Team Sky and British Cycling right from the start. Priority now is to help find new partners to take the team into the future,” he added.