British cycling apparel brand Le Col has been acquired by Austria-based performance sports equipment and apparel company HEAD. The deal sees HEAD acquire the business from Puma Growth Partners as it continues to expand its sportswear and apparel division, which is headquartered in Milan, Italy.
Commenting on the transaction, Rupert West, Managing Director of Puma Growth Partners, said he was pleased to see Le Col pass to “such a strong counterparty”, adding that HEAD would be “a superb custodian of the Le Col brand going forward”.
Puma Growth Partners has backed Le Col for several years. In 2023, the investor injected £5.5 million into the business, following an earlier £2.35 million investment from Puma Private Equity in October 2018, with the option to increase funding to £3.5 million to support further growth.
Founded in 2011 by former professional cyclist Yanto Barker, Le Col has undergone a number of management changes in recent months. Barker stepped down as a director in October 2025 and ceased to be a person with significant control of the company. More recently, Benedict Macleod Leslie and Justin Paul David Stead have also resigned from their director roles.