French teams raise concern over talent exodus: "When it comes to 3 million, it’s a limiting factor"
Cycling
Follow IDL Pro Cycling on Google
Stay up to date with the best cycling news by making us a preferred source on Google.
Follow us on GoogleFrench cycling is facing a tough time, at least according to the team leaders of WorldTour teams Groupama-FDJ, Cofidis, and Arkéa-B&B Hotels. National labor and tax regulations are reportedly creating a financial noose around the teams' necks. "The knife is at our throats," warns Marc Madiot (Groupama-FDJ).
ADVERTISEMENT
According to French law, both riders and staff must be registered as employees of a company. This reportedly results in an additional 40 percent cost for French teams compared to temporary contracts. The extra expenses make it impossible for French teams to compete with foreign squads. The departures of Lenny Martinez to Bahrain Victorious, Valentin Paret-Peintre to Soudal Quick-Step, and Axel Zingle to Visma | Lease a Bike are cited as examples. It has simply become more attractive for French riders to race for foreign teams.
This is a notable development, given that French cyclists have historically preferred to ride for teams from their own country and were not eager to make the leap to a foreign squad. There have certainly been successful examples in the past. Take former rider Sylvain Chavanel, who made the switch to Patrick Lefevere's team and found success there. Then there's Christophe Laporte, who emerged as a key figure in the classics at Visma | Lease a Bike at a later age and even won a stage in the Tour two years ago.
Read more below the photo.
Arkéa-B&B Hotels must let Albanian go.
"As far as three million goes, it’s a limiting factor"
"Everything just costs more," says Groupama-FDJ team boss Marc Madiot in an interview with L'Equipe. He observes that French teams can’t compete with the financial might of foreign squads. "French teams are currently unable to fight with the best teams when it comes to recruitment. We can’t keep dreaming." Team leader Emmanuel Hubert of Arkéa-B&B is facing serious issues and had to let go of key riders Vincenzo Albanese and Clement Champoussin. "It’s not that we are worse than other teams to work for. The only thing at stake here is money," he explains.
Cédric Vasseur, team boss of Cofidis, elaborates on the impact of French regulations. "If it’s forty percent on an annual salary of 50,000 euros, it’s not a huge difference. But when it comes to three million, it becomes a limiting factor. The real concern is that top talents are no longer coming to French teams because they are financially penalized."
An example of a significant outgoing transfer of a French rider is that of Martinez to Bahrain Victorious. The young climber is widely regarded as a future great cyclist and has already showcased impressive performances. Madiot wanted to keep him but felt powerless from the sidelines. "I couldn't even fight for him. The difference for Martínez is astronomical. Then you have agents telling you that your team is fantastic for developing riders, but as soon as they reach their peak, it’s time to move on!" he says, sounding quite bitter.
Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
IDL-productions
Onley, Dickson, Thornley and now Mason; Scotland is punching way above its cycling weight
Cyclocross legend Lars van der Haar had a tough time after retiring from cyclocross: 'It was over pretty quickly'
Celia Gery won the European cyclocross championship while awaiting surgery: 'It'll be a new beginning'
Dutch team coach De Knegt annoyed by European Cyclocross Championships dispute: "A bit of a let down"
Glasgow set to shine as World Cup demand outstrips expectations and Mason eyes first home cyclocross race
Latest Cycling News
Michael Vanthourenhout's severe crash overshadows thrilling men's cyclocross race in merksplas
Thibau Nys offers glimpse into unbelievable cyclocross comeback: 'That uncertainty, that struggle with self-confidence'
Complications surround Wout van Aert's World Cyclocross Championship start
Thibau Nys and Lucinda Brand's team lose title sponsor in the middle of the cyclocross season
Onley, Dickson, Thornley and now Mason; Scotland is punching way above its cycling weight
Popular Cycling News
Pidcock's turbocharged vacation leads to struggles on the bike: 'No wonder people think cycling is hard'
Mads Pedersen weighs in on Lucinda Brand and Marie Schreiber's European Cyclocross Championship clash
Thibau Nys and Lucinda Brand's team lose title sponsor in the middle of the cyclocross season
Extensive evidence of use of N-word, homophobia, and Asian-hate by track cyclist Matthew Richardson revealed
Michael Vanthourenhout's severe crash overshadows thrilling men's cyclocross race in merksplas
Latest Comments
- - I’m still learning how cyclocross works: when he says he messed up the start at the Europeans, can a bad start really make that much difference?patriciaw14-11-2026
- - Love that he’s honest about the pressure. Hopefully he can carry this form through the winter.lindae14-11-2026
- - Beating different competition is the key now. Nys is already in the mix, and Van der Poel could make the next step a much tougher one.jennifer1914-11-2026
- - About time—Mason’s been knocking on the door for years. That Niel win could really open things up for him.cadencekingm14-11-2026
- I’m still learning how cyclocross works—does leading the Superprestige mean Mason is top of that race series, rather than the World Cup? Either way, winning in Belgium sounds like a massive result.cadencekingm13-11-2026
- Calling Onley a contender for an overall Tour win already feels a bit premature, especially after the injury setbacks. Still, the depth of talent is exciting.robert6513-11-2026
- Great to see Dickson’s route from triathlon to the WorldTour getting recognition. Scottish cycling has plenty to be proud of, and the 2027 Grand Départ could give the next generation a real lift.patriciaw13-11-2026
- The article makes a good case for clubs and small teams doing the groundwork, rather than one big development pipeline. Thornley’s Vuelta time trials were seriously impressive too; missing a stage win by two seconds is brutal.davidm13-11-2026
- Mason winning in Niel is huge—beating that kind of Belgian field in the mud takes serious class. The Kelvingrove World Cup could be an unforgettable homecoming.breakawaybikerd13-11-2026
- I’m not sure how WorldTour licences work—could these reports affect whether the team gets one next year, or is that decision based on other criteria?velodromevirtuoso113-11-2026