/PRCWT/Beijing, 29 November 2023 - Decathlon has announced that it will be the joint title sponsor of AG2R LA MONDIALE's three cycling teams for the next five years from 1 January 2024:
• The World Tour "Decathlon AG2R LA MONDIALE Team" consisting of 28 riders;
• "Decathlon AG2R LA MONDIALE Development Team" consisting of 10 drivers;
• The Decathlon AG2R LA MONDIALE U19 team consists of 15 drivers.
Six new drivers will join the World Tour Team in 2024: Bruno Armirail, Sam Bennett, Dries de Bondt, Victor Rafi Lafay, Gianluca Pollefiets and Sander De Pestel.
During the five-year partnership, VAN RYSEL, Decathlon's premium road bike brand, will use its expertise and knowledge to supply the team with bikes, helmets and eyewear. The partnership also marks the beginning of a new chapter for the AG2R LA MONDIALE cycling team, 32 years after it was founded by Vincent Lavenu.
The AG2R LA MONDIALE Group has been a historic partner of the team since 1997 and a shareholder since June 2022. The new partnership with Decathlon will play an important role in helping the team achieve major victories from the 2024 season onwards.
The cooperation shows that two French companies with the same social values will work together to promote and develop the sport of cycling. Decathlon is also calling on a wider audience to join in cycling by connecting with this trendy movement that demonstrates commitment, solidarity and passion.
Together, Decathlon and AG2R LA MONDIALE will provide strong support to the three teams, including helping the World Tour team "Decathlon AG2R LA MONDIALE" win as many major international races as possible. As representatives of the "new generation", the Intercontinental team "Decathlon AG2R LA MONDIALE Development Team" and the "Decathlon AG2R LA MONDIALE U19 Team" will also form a training program aimed at discovering and developing future champions.
Barbara MARTIN COPPOLA, CEO of Decathlon Group, said :" This is a very important moment in Decathlon's history. Since our founding in 1976, cycling has played a pivotal role in our development and growth. Millions of children around the world are riding their first bike from Decathlon, and millions of adults use our bikes every day. So proud to now have a Decathlon named World Tour team using Decathlon bikes to compete at international professional level! We believe in the amazing power of sport to move people forward, from the training ground to the podium, and this collaboration exemplifies that.
Bruno ANGLES, Managing Director of AG2R LA MONDIALE Group, said :" The entire AG2R LA MONDIALE Group is very proud to welcome Decathlon as our partner from 2024. We share the values of community, solidarity and harmony with a company that is also loved by the French. As the team's historic sponsor and current shareholder, we have worked together for 26 years. We believe Decathlon is the perfect partner and together we will support the team in its ambition to win big international races."
Vincent LAVENU, the team's sporting manager, said :" I am delighted to be working with Decathlon again to build on the success we achieved between 2000 and 2007. At that time, Decathlon, as the team's cycling sponsor, had six victories with us in the Tour de France. The long-term support of the LA MONDIALE Group ensures the stability and long-term development of the team, while the cooperation with Decathlon also presents us with new challenges and inspires us to open up new paths. Our goal is to pursue more wins at the World Tour, Continental and junior levels."
Nicolas PIERRON, Director of the VAN RYSEL brand, said :" Since the launch of the brand in 2019,VAN RYSEL has always aimed to be the main brand for professional racing teams. Our engineers and designers set high standards to achieve superior performance. We are working closely with experts from the French Aerospace Research Institute, the aerodynamics expert Swiss Side, and professional drivers to prepare for the future with excellent products. We are very proud to see our bikes, helmets and glasses selected by the AG2R LA MONDIALE team, including the historic UCI World Tour Team. We are excited and looking forward to the new season.
As one of the sponsored vehicles,VAN RYSEL's first aviation-grade lightweight bicycle RCR PRO Replica vehicle was released for the first time in the Chinese market on November 27. It was developed by Decathlon in collaboration with the French National Office for Aerospace Research, with which VAN RYSEL engineers performed CFD(computational fluid dynamics) optimizations to design the most aerodynamic curves. The RCR body achieves the perfect balance between aerodynamics, lightness and rigidity, providing riders with an unparalleled riding experience on both flat and sloping roads.
In order to achieve superior performance, weight optimization is also a highlight of the RCR. During the design phase, the RCR not only reduced the weight of the frame, but more importantly, reduced the weight of the auxiliary components by reducing the material used in the target area.
Frame composition is also one of the key factors determining the performance of the bike, that is, the stacking of the frame. Different orientations and choices of carbon fiber affect the weight, rigidity and performance of the bike. RCR adopts high modulus fiber to ensure stable output of riding force. The frame of the RCR PRO is made of higher performance carbon fiber to help athletes fully utilize the performance of their equipment during the race. The RCR PRO is well prepared to compete at the highest level in the world.
In addition,VAN RYSEL has collaborated with DEDA, the world-renowned Italian bicycle parts brand, to develop new handlebars that reduce weight while also meeting the requirements of rigidity, ensuring the rider's precise control of the bike.
About Decathlon and VAN RYSEL
Decathlon is a global sporting goods retailer with more than 1,700 stores in more than 70 countries. Through its integrated business model, Decathlon focuses on creating and producing innovative sporting goods designed to delight and encourage people around the world through the joy of sport.
VAN RYSEL is a road bike brand owned by Decathlon. The brand was founded in 2019 to develop high-performance bicycle products. The designers are passionate about elite craftsmanship, setting the technical level of the ceiling to meet the needs of both professional and amateur racing riders.
About the AG2R LA MONDIALE team
AG2R LA MONDIALE is a French specialist in social protection and wealth management, providing insurance for individuals, companies and industries to protect health, secure assets and income, protect against life accidents and prepare for retirement. The Group has more than 15 million policyholders and supports 500,000 companies every day. AG2R LA MONDIALE employs nearly 15,000 people and operates throughout France and its overseas territories. The Group's governance structure, based on equality and mutual benefit, fosters a unique social protection model that closely combines profitability, solidarity and performance. As part of the AG2R Agirc-Arrco and AG2R Prevoyance Social Action Plans and, more broadly, as part of its commitment to society,AG2R LA MONDIALE works every day to promote good ageing, in line with the needs of individuals and local communities.
