Source
r/peloton•
SaviourMach

New sponsor found for team Europcar; to sign Sylvain Chavanel for 2016

Reported by L'Equipe just now. Dutch source here, since L'Equipe has a paywall and our usual English outlets aren't there quite yet. Will edit an English-language source in as soon as I see one.

Sylvain Chavanel will close out his career at this new team. Thomas Voeckler is apparently staying, as well as sprinter Bryan Coquard (though you never know what might happen).

The team will be sponsored by a yet undisclosed French company, will have 22 riders and a €5.5mln budget.

Say about Europcar what you want, but they always make for attractive racing, and I'm very happy to hear the team will be able to continue.

Posted Sep 2, 2015, 9:21 AM UTC

6023
JamCalOrica Greenedge•

This team can never be the same without r/olland :(

13
iamafakebotTeam Europcar•

WOOHOO! Still really sad that Rolland and Gautier have left, but still!

7
AusrufepunktAstana Pro Team•

Hey there, I noticed you have the official Ausrufepunkt 2015 flair, good work!

1
Msfan93United States of America•

Wait, people actually buy the monthly Strava jerseys?

1
Globo_GymUnited States of America•

I thought about it for half a second once.

1
Msfan93United States of America•

I never understood the idea of receiving the privilege to throw $120 at a company.

1
AusrufepunktAstana Pro Team•

I did for my first century and because I liked the looks, but yeah they're expensive although the build quality is really good
I wouldn't buy myself another one unless it was a great achievement that I would want to remember this way

1
PubocynoNorway•

Does this mean we'll get r/chavanel ?

7
MatthoSlovakia•

r/waitforit is already taken

17
Jevo_Denmark•

Glad they continue. 5,5 isn't a big budget, and that means they'll be PCT again next year. Doesn't matter too much, they'll still be in the Tour. Hopefully they can get another sponsor for 2017, so they can move up to WT again.

6
yikesowikes•

Don't think they want to move up, since that would mean that they'd be obliged to enter every WT race, which would probably be hard to manage for them with that small budget.

2
Jevo_Denmark•

Bernadeau wants a WT team, he's never said anything else. He'll accept lesser if it means the team continues, but he wants to be a part of the WT. Apparently the team has also submitted a WT application.

2
CasitiosTeam Europcar•

Good News everyone. Chavanel and Voeckler in the same team, the return of the favorite riders of 2000s generation.

6
[deleted]•

[deleted]

2
PubocynoNorway•

Time to get some new riders to make up for all the other escapees.

Moïnard? Edet? Rudy Barbier, perhaps?

In Chavanel they finally get that super-rouleur they've been missing, but they still need a second one if they want to give him some protection in the classics. (Oliveira is leaving Lampre, hint hint.)

I think I'd just offer a (very small) bucket of money to Andrey Amador and see if he'd be interested to sign for a PCT team in exchange for a GC role.

3
SaviourMachOPTeam Lotto NL - Jumbo•

Is Amador's contract with Movistar out or so? I like that idea a lot, but it'd be quite unprecedented.

I think a major issue will be the budget. With a 5.5mln budget, they could never have afforded to keep Rolland and Gautier whilst still keeping a reasonable depth in their team.

3
PubocynoNorway•

He's listed as a free agent next year on procyclingstats, at least

I reckon Chavanel gets most of that budget, so that's why it would have to be a very reasonably sized bucket. But I think if you want to sign a new GC rider for a lesser sum, it's either get lucky with a promising neopro or sign a faithful lieutenant from one of the bigger teams.

4
decklundWales•

Oliveira will be snapped up by a WT team, the man is far too respected and far too versatile to be allowed to slip below the top level.

2
istarbelColombia•

Just tell me they will continue to use Colnago and I will continue to root for them! Also they need a token Colombian... I hear both Darwin Atapuma and Jarlison Pantano are out of contract... maybe Fabio Duarte or Rodolfo Torres?

3
Cosmic_CharlieUnited States of America•

Great news.

Gurn, baby gurn. Voeckler inferno.

http://i.imgur.com/VY8A6qM.jpg

3
tourproUnited States of America•

Rolland shows flashes of brilliance, but I think this year's extra-efforts were mostly motivated by contract and sponsor issues. Great news for Tommy V. fans, and happy to hear Chavanel getting a ride this late in his career - both are entertaining to watch.

2
[deleted]•

Glad to see the my most entertaining team live on. Sicard will have to take the torch of the random attacker from Voeckler and Rolland... unless Europcar can pull a Deandre Jordan with Rolland

2
patarckUnited States of America•

Tommy the Tongue and Wait For It.... on the same team?? Christmas has come early.

2
improbItaly•

Fantastic news, was going to be hard to watch Voeckler in anything other than a dark green jersey

1