Garmin-Slipstream welcomes new sponsor, becomes Garmin-Transitions

Team Garmin-Slipstream will change its name to become Garmin-Transitions with the addition of sponsor Transitions Optical. The USA ProTour team of Jonathan Vaughters announced today the agreement with the lens manufacturer.

"Our riders are constantly going through different lighting conditions. If we can increase visual acuity and reduce visual fatigue, that gives us a big advantage on the road," said team manager Vaughters. "Like the team, Transitions is driven by innovation and a commitment to excellence. We are thrilled to work with them."

Transitions Optical was the first commercially successful manufacturer of photochromic lenses, which darken or lighten depending on depending on the lighting. Transitions will use the team to promote its lenses and will launch a marketing campaign featuring the team in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, it announced.

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The team called it a "long term" agreement, but could not disclose the agreement's length.

Vaughters' team started as a third division or Continental team and grew to a first division, ProTour. Chipotle restaurants sponsored the team in 2007 and 2008, when it raced in the second division. Garmin joined as primary sponsor in 2008 and helped the team make the jump to ProTour for the start of this season.

Garmin is a USA-based manufacture of portable navigation devices using the Global Positioning System (GPS). Slipstream Sports is the marketing and development company that helps support the team.

This year Garmin-Slipstream finished fourth at the Tour de France with Brit Bradley Wiggins. It is one of the top ten ranked teams in the world, with wins this year coming from riders like USA's Tyler Farrar and Christian Vande Velde.