Cycling: Happy Birthday! The Equipe FDJ celebrates its 20th anniversary. The 2018 season is starting with a lot of momentum and an additional new sponsor – also for Thibaut Pinot and Co.
departures
Arnaud Courteille (Vital Concept)
Marc Fournier (Vital Concept)
Odd Christian Eiking (Wanty Groupe Gobert)
Johan Le Bon (Vital Concept)
Jérémy Maison (Fortuneo-Samsic)
Lorrenzo Manzin (Vital Concept)
Cédric Pineau (end of career)
Kevin Reza (Vital Concept)
Additions
Bruno Armirail (Occitane CF)
Antoine Duchesne (Direct Energy)
Valentin Madouas (UC Nantes Atlantique)
Georg Preidler (Sunweb)
Romain Seigle (CC Etupes)
Ramon Sinkeldam (Sunweb)
Benjamin Thomas (Armee de Terre)
Team 2018
ARMIRAIL Bruno
Bonnet William
CIMOLAI Davide
DELAGE Mickaël
DEMARE Arnaud
DUCHESNE Antoine
GAUDU David
GUARNIERI Jacopo
HOELGAARD Daniel
KONOVALOVAS Ignatas
LADAGNOUS Matthieu
LE GAC Olivier
LUDVIGSSON Tobias
MADOUAS Valentine
MOLARD Rudy
MORABITO Steve
PINOT Thibaut
PREIDLER George
REICHENBACH Sebastian
ROUX Anthony
ROY Jeremy
SARREAU Marc
SEIGLE Roman
SINKELDAM Ramon
THOMAS Benjamin
VAUGRENARD Benoit
VICHOT Arthur
VINCENT Leo
Groupama-FDJ continues the tradition
The French cycling team FDJ was founded in 1997 in Moussy-le-Vieux. Marc Madiot's team is almost as much a part of cycling as the bikes themselves. Jerseys in the colors of the French national flag are indispensable. Even the new sponsor next to FDJ will not change anything. Almost everything remains unchanged under the new name Groupama-FDJ. Although there are some departures and newcomers to the roster, the direction will remain the same. Groupama-FDJ has always been seen a lot in escape groups and that will remain so in 2018. Two men have been removed from the German team Sunweb: The Austrian Georg Preidler strengthens the team of assistants around Thibaut Pinot, Ramon Sinkeldam is regarded as a speed booster on the flat and in classics.
Note de service : les shootings photo and video approved, chers coureurs de l'effectif 2018, on compte sur vous pour être aussi fous que l'an dernier… ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/AqX7zkOQVa
— Equipe FDJ (@EquipeFDJ) 14 December 2017
Pinot & Démare have more to show
There is hardly a team where the captain roles are assigned as clearly as with Groupama-FDJ. If it goes uphill, the boss is called Thibaut Pinot, on flat stages he goes by the name of Arnaud Démare. 14 of the 27 victories this season went to these two pros. But despite not having a bad season, fans expect more from their French stars. Rightly so, because there is significantly more potential. Démare won a stage at Paris-Nice, the Critérium du Dauphiné and the Tour de France. Pinot secured the 20th stage of the Giro d'Italia. Only Davide Cimolai could add another triumph for FDJ at WorldTour level with his stage win at the Volta a Catalunya. Since the squad around the two captains is filled with helpers, no miracles can be expected from them in 2018 either. Once again, Démare and Pinot will be responsible for the important victories. Pinot's fourth place overall at the Giro d'Italia was strong, but the French are yearning for a Grand Tour win.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XDYyKKgxEE