2023-11-27 17:12:09
If the 2024 season of the new Decathlon-AG2R team is like the grandiloquence of its official presentation this Monday, then its riders should pile up victories by the dozen on the roads. Because nothing seemed too disproportionate in front of more than 20 guests. Especially not this curious presentation all in English, just to assert itself internationally, while the team is 100% French… A bit pretentious or prophetic, the calves of the 28 men on the team will say it.
But the Savoyard formation created in 1992 wanted to make it known that its future is assured until 2028. Excellent news at a time when many formations are struggling to find partners. And, as expected, AG2R’s new partner is not just anyone: Decathlon, the world leader in sports equipment. He signed up for five years to replace Citroën who arrived at the start of 2021. And, an important detail, his name will appear first on the team’s pretty and sober blue and white jerseys.
Officially, it’s a return since the brand had already invested in the team between 2000 and 2007. But that has nothing to do with it. Because Decathlon, via its Van Rysel bicycle brand, will also be the team’s total equipment supplier (bikes, helmets and glasses). Which had caused some internal concern in recent months because Van Rysel, who succeeds BMC, does not have experience in high-level equipment. Fears a priori swept away by the riders’ first attempts. Vincent Lavenu, the usually more level-headed team boss, is delighted. “Thanks to the technological power of Decathlon, they built us fabulous bikes in less than a year,” he enthuses. They are war machines. If the riders don’t win, they won’t be able to say: it’s because of the bikes. Because they are extraordinary. »
A team strengthened by the arrivals of Lafay, Armirail and Bennett
It has been more than a year since AG2R, owner of the cycling team, spoke with Decathlon. With his arrival, the budget for 2024 will increase from 23 to 26 million euros. “We remain in the good average of the peloton,” notes Lavenu. But I remind you that, unlike many foreign teams, our riders are salaried and that we pay social security contributions.
Barbara Martin Coppola, the general director of Decathlon, says she is experiencing “a historic moment. From now on, we will equip young and old alike, beginners and experts alike. We will be there, from the sandbox to the podiums of the big races.” Decathlon’s idea is to take advantage of the developments in bicycles for its runners before using this technology for their general public bicycles. But its arrival in cycling is more global. “We can draw a parallel with the fact that we are also going to be the supplier of balls for the Europa League (via its equipment supplier Kipsta),” confirms Céline Del Genes, global customer manager for the French brand.
A women’s section from 2025?
From a sporting point of view, the team officially presented its recruits. Including Victor Lafay (ex-Cofidis), as we revealed to you at the beginning of September, to whom she offered a very large salary after his stage victory in San Sebastian this year on the Tour de France. Or even Sam Bennett (ex-Bora-Hansgrohe and winner of the green jersey on the 2020 Tour) and the French Bruno Armirail (ex-Groupama-FDJ and wearer of the pink jersey during the last Giro) to hope to shine in the sprints for the first and time trials for the second.
“We will try to do like every year for the past five years and win a stage on the Tour, hopes Lavenu. And if we could finally win one of the five monuments (Milan-San Remo, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Tour of Lombardy), that would be fabulous. But when I look at where we left almost 32 years ago and where we arrive today, we have gone from being small sports artisans to the industrial field. »
And even if nothing has been announced, the creation of a women’s team, perhaps for 2025, is a priority for the new partners Decathlon and AG2R.
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