Beginning on January 1, 2024, Decathlon has committed for five years to be a main co-name sponsor of AG2R La Mondiale’s three cycling teams.
Meanwhile, Van Rysel, Decathlon’s cycling brand, joins as the teams’ bike, helmet, and glasses equipment manufacturer – replacing incumbent brand BMC. Keeping the team rooted in its French origins, Citroën becomes the official supplier of team cars/vehicles in 2024.
Currently under the AG2R Citroën Team banner, in 2024, the newly named teams are:
- The WorldTour team Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team, made up of 28 riders;
- Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Development Team made up of 10 riders; and
- Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale U19 Team made up of 15 riders.
Six new riders join the WorldTour team in 2024: Bruno Armirail, Sam Bennett, Dries De Bondt, Victor Lafay, Gianluca Pollefliets and Sander De Pestel.
The arrival of Decathlon on January 1, 2024, for five years, marks a new chapter in the history of the AG2R La Mondiale cycling team, 32 years after its original founding by Vincent Lavenu.
French insurance firm AG2R La Mondiale Group has been the team’s partner since 1997 and a shareholder since June 2022.
The riders of the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale teams will ride Van Rysel, the performance road bike brand of the Decathlon group, which will equip riders with bikes, helmets, and glasses.
A release from Decathlon and the team added… ‘This partnership demonstrates the desire of two large French companies, which share the same values of solidarity and community, to unite around an ambitious sporting project.
‘It is also an opportunity for Decathlon to associate its name with a popular sport with recognised values of commitment, solidarity, and passion, and as a result to give as many people as possible the desire to start cycling.’
Barbara Martin Coppola, CEO of Decathlon, said “This is a really big moment in Decathlon’s history. Since our creation in 1976, bikes have played a pivotal role in our evolution and growth.
“Millions of children around the world have learnt to ride their first bike with Decathlon, and millions of adults use our bikes everyday, so to now be in a position where a WorldTour team will be competing on our bikes, under our name, is a huge source of pride. Decathlon’s mission is to ‘move people through the wonders of sport’, from the playground to the podium, and this partnership embodies exactly that.”
Bruno ANGLES, General Manager of AG2R La Mondiale, said “The entire AG2R La Mondiale Group is very proud to welcome Decathlon as a partner beginning on January 1, 2024.
“We share with this company, also loved by the French, common values of community, solidarity, and living harmoniously together. We have been working for 26 years, as a historic sponsor and now a shareholder to support the team. We couldn’t find a better partner than Decathlon to continue doing this, and together achieve our ambitions of winning the biggest international races.”
www.decathlon.fr
www.ag2rcitroenteam.com
www.vanryselcycling.com
www.ag2rlamondiale.fr
