Arkéa-B&B Hotels team manager criticizes lack of communication: "Everyone is focused on their own interests"

Arkéa-B&B Hotels is in trouble. Despite ongoing contracts, the French WorldTour team was forced to let go of two of its leaders. Team owner Emmanuel Hubert is uncertain about sponsorship beyond 2025, so several riders decided to leave. As it happened: Vincenzo Albanese and Clément Champoussin left. However, that did not end the problems.

Those two riders were presented with other opportunities. "What happened is that some contracts had cancellation clauses. When riders want to use these clauses, we must listen to them. It is sometimes unfortunate for the sporty side because there are points to be won. We also have a certain ranking that we have to take into account. But if they choose something else, we have discussed that. If your mind is focused on something else, you must say it honestly and move on," Hubert told Cyclism'Actu.

And that only riders from the development team were brought in was simply a matter of strategy. "If we take guys from this team and don't give them a chance to progress, there is no point in having a development team."

That said, Hubert is concerned about his team. "Our sponsorship contracts expire at the end of 2025, but that's normal; that's the daily life cycle. So, we must negotiate, find new partners, or reactivate the current ones. Contracts in cycling often have a short term, one, two, or three years. Other teams may have more stability, but we don't have that."

Hubert hoped the Paris Olympics would be a catalyst for his team. "I found it alarming that there was little interest, specifically after the Olympics. Today, it costs a lot of money to maintain a cycling team. New partners have to come, and old partners have to stay. Tax incentives should be considered for sponsors who want to invest in the sport."

Hubert, therefore, thinks that sixty percent of French teams will disappear in the coming years. "There could be sponsors who want to invest a lot of money, but the stressful climate holds them back. If we continue like this, I stick to my opinion. We don't have all the answers to change it. Maybe the sport needs to be redesigned, and we must sit down together. Sometimes, there is a lack of communication between teams, which is unfortunate. Everyone is preoccupied with their interests, and if another team is in trouble, it is not seen as a problem of 'the neighbors," Hubert pointed out.

Finally, the French team boss also addressed the threat of relegation. Indeed, should nothing change, Arkéa-B&B Hotels will lose its WorldTour license at the end of the year. "It's better to be in the WorldTour than not, but it's not the end of the world if we don't make it. It's important to fight for the WorldTour; that's my motive. We will fight on until the last moment," it sounds combative despite the dire situation.