Team Europcar
Team Europcar (UCI team code: EUC) is a professional road bicycle racing team that competes as a UCI Professional Continental team on the UCI Europe Tour and, when selected as a wildcard, in UCI ProTour events. It was previously a member of the ProTour before being relegated after the 2009 season. Its title sponsor, Europcar, is a Paris-based car rental company. In previous years, the team was known as Brioches La Boulangère, Bonjour, Bouygues Télécom, and Bbox Bouygues Telecom.
Beginnings
The team was founded in 1984 as System U. The team disbanded in 1985 but returned in 1986 under new management. Cyrille Guimard became the directeur sportif, bringing his protégé Laurent Fignon who nearly won the 1989 edition of the Tour de France. A change of sponsor in 1990 renamed the team Castorama.
In 1992 Guimard became manager of the team. In 1995, Jean-René Bernaudeau, a former professional racer, became director of the team. From 1996 to 1999, the team withdrew from top-level competition. Bernaudeau set up a development team in the Vendée region called Vendée U.
History
In 2000, the team again became a professional team Bonjour, still under the control of the sporting director Bernaudeau. In 2003, the team became "Brioches La Boulangère", then "Bouygues Télécom" in 2005. The amateur team Vendée U still acts as feeder team for the professional team.
As Bonjour and Brioches La Boulangère the team gained prominence with promising young stars Fabrice Salanson, Thomas Voeckler and Sylvain Chavanel. Salanson's death due to heart disease in 2003 was a blow to the team. Voeckler wore the maillot jaune for 10 days in the 2004 Tour de France while also French national champion and became a national hero.
The team competes mainly in French races. Chavanel left the team in 2005 to join Cofidis.
On 29 September 2009 Bbox Bouygues Telecom along with Cofidis were not allowed to renew their ProTour licenses due to poor results. [1]
2010-2011
In late 2010, following a lengthy struggle to secure a sponsor for the 2011 season, Europcar was confirmed as the replacement, after assurances that then- French National Champion Thomas Voeckler would remain with the team,[2] but the guarantee of the team's future, so late that it necessitated an extension of the usual UCI deadline for licence application, was too late to retain the services of Pierrick Fédrigo and Nicolas Vogondy. Voeckler's contract is worth over 400,000 euros a year, second only to Sylvain Chavanel among French riders.[3][4]
Following the sponsorship questions, the team had its best year to date in 2011, winning stages in Paris-Nice and the Criterium du Dauphine (in which they also took the team competition). In July, Thomas Voeckler won and held the overall lead in the Tour of France for 10 days; support rider Pierre Rolland received accolades for his defense of Voeckler,[5] and later took a stage victory on the famous Alpe D'Huez climb, leading to the race's overall white jersey title.[6] The team also fielded Yohann Gene, the first black rider in the Tour.[7] Europcar's new higher profile will allow it compete internationally in 2012 and sign more notable riders.[8]
Major results
2000
- 1st Stage 3 Tour de Langkawi, Damien Nazon
- 1st Stage 5 Paris-Nice, François Simon
- 1st Paris-Camembert, Didier Rous
- 1st Stage 4 Circuit des Mines, Sébastien Joly
- 1st Overall GP du Midi Libre, Didier Rous
- 1st Stage 1, Damien Nazon
- 1st Grand Prix de Villers-Cotterêts, Damien Nazon
- 1st Mi-Août 3, Jean-Cyril Robin
- 1st Stage 3 Tour de l'Ain, Frédéric Gabriel
- 1st GP Le Télégramme, Walter Bénéteau
- 1st Stage 1 Tour du Poitou-Charentes, Damien Nazon
- 1st Stage 3 Tour de l'Avenir, Fabrice Salanson
- 1st Stage 1 Circuit Franco-Belge, Sylvain Chavanel
2001
- 1st Stages 3 & 4 Etoile de Bessèges, Damien Nazon
- 1st Tour de Vendée, Didier Rous
- 1st Trophée des Grimpeurs, Didier Rous
- 1st Overall 4 Jours de Dunkerque, Didier Rous
- 1st Stages 5 & 6a, Didier Rous
- 1st Prologue Dauphiné Libéré, Didier Rous
- 1st France Road Race Championships, Didier Rous
- 1st Overall Tour du Limousin, Franck Bouyer
- 1st Stage 1, Franck Bouyer
- 1st Tour du Finistère, Franck Rénier
2002
- 1st Stage 2 Tour of Qatar, Damien Nazon
- 1st Grand Prix de la Ville de Lillers, Pascal Derame
- 1st Overall Tour de Normandie, Jérôme Pineau
- 1st Overall Circuit de la Sarthe, Didier Rous
- 1st Tour de Vendée, Franck Bouyer
- 1st Trophée des Grimpeurs, Sylvain Chavanel
- 1st Overall 4 Jours de Dunkerque, Sylvain Chavanel
- 1st Stage 2 GP du Midi Libre, Fabrice Salanson
- 1st Stage 2a Tour of Belgium, Damien Nazon
- 1st Stage 1 Route du Sud, Damien Nazon
- 1st Stage 1 Tour de l'Ain, Damien Nazon
- 1st Stage 3 Tour du Poitou-Charentes, Damien Nazon
2003
- 1st Stage 2 Tour of Qatar, Damien Nazon
- 1st Stage 2 Tour Méditerranéen, Emmanuel Magnien
- 1st Tour du Haut Var, Sylvain Chavanel
- 1st Critérium des Espoirs, Anthony Geslin
- 1st Grand Prix de la Ville de Lillers, Damien Nazon
- 1st Classic Loire Atlantique, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st GP Rudy Dhaenens, Christophe Kern
- 1st Stage 1 Critérium International, Damien Nazon
- 1st Stage 3b Circuit de la Sarthe, Sylvain Chavanel
- 1st Trophée des Grimpeurs, Didier Rous
- 1st Overall Tour de Luxembourg, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st Stages 1 & 3a, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st France Road Race Championships, Didier Rous
- 1st Polynormande, Jérôme Pineau
- 1st Stage 1 Tour de l'Ain, Jérôme Pineau
- 1st Stage 2 Tour de l'Ain, Maryan Hary
- 1st Stage 1 Tour du Limousin, Didier Rous
- 1st Boucles de l'Aulne, Walter Bénéteau
- 1st Stages 2 & 3 Tour de l'Avenir, Sébastien Chavanel
- 1st Stage 8 Tour de l'Avenir, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st Stage 2b Tour de la Somme, Jimmy Engoulvent
2004
- 1st Clasica de Almeria, Jérôme Pineau
- 1st Route Adélie de Vitré, Anthony Geslin
- 1st Stage 1 Circuit de la Sarthe, Franck Bouyer
- 1st Paris-Camembert, Franck Bouyer
- 1st Overall 4 Jours de Dunkerque, Sylvain Chavanel
- 1st Stage 3, Didier Rous
- 1st Overall Tour of Belgium, Sylvain Chavanel
- 1st A Travers le Morbihan, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st Stage 4 Route du Sud, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st France Road Race Championships, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st Tour du Doubs, Mathieu Sprick
- 1st Stage 5 Tour de Wallonie, Sébastien Chavanel
- 1st Polynormande, Sylvain Chavanel
- 1st Overall Tour de l'Ain, Jérôme Pineau
- 1st Stage 1, Jérôme Pineau
- 1st Stage 3 Tour du Limousin, Didier Rous
- 1st Stage 3 & 4 Tour du Poitou Charentes, Sylvain Chavanel
- 1st GP Ouest-France, Didier Rous
- 1st Stage 1 Hessen-Rundfahrt, Unai Yus
- 1st Stages 2, 4 & 5 Tour de l'Avenir, Sébastien Chavanel
- 1st Stage 6 Tour de l'Avenir, Christophe Kern
- 1st Paris-Bourges, Jérôme Pineau
2005
- 1st GP Cholet, Pierrick Fédrigo
- 1st Paris-Camembert, Laurent Brochard
- 1st Stage 1 Circuit de la Sarthe, Anthony Ravard
- 1st Stage 3 Circuit de Lorraine, Anthony Geslin
- 1st Overall 4 Jours de Dunkerque, Pierrick Fédrigo
- 1st Stage 3, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st Stage 6 Volta a Catalunya, Anthony Charteau
- 1st Stage 3 Route du Sud, Didier Rous
- 1st France Road Race Championships, Pierrick Fédrigo
- 3rd Road World Championships, Anthony Geslin
2006
- 1st Stage 3 GP Costa Azul, Sébastien Chavanel
- 1st Stage 5 Vuelta al Pais Vasco, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st Paris-Camembert, Anthony Geslin
- 1st Trophée des Grimpeurs, Didier Rous
- 1st Stage 4 4 Jours de Dunkerque, Pierrick Fédrigo
- 1st Stage 1 Tour de Picardie, Rony Martias
- 1st Overall Route du Sud, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st Stage 1, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st Netherlands, Time Trial Championships, Stef Clement
- 1st Tour du Doubs, Yoann Le Boulanger
- 1st Stage 14 Tour de France, Pierrick Fédrigo
- 1st Overall Paris-Corrèze, Didier Rous
- 1st Stage 1, Didier Rous
- 1st Clasica San Sebastian, Xavier Florencio
- 1st Stage 1 Tour du Limousin, Pierrick Fédrigo
- 1st Stage 9 Tour de l'Avenir, Stef Clement
- 1st Paris-Bourges, Thomas Voeckler
- 3rd Overall 4 Jours de Dunkerque, Didier Rous
- 3rd Stage 10 Vuelta a España, Xavier Florencio
2007
- 1st Tro-Bro Léon, Saïd Haddou
- 1st Trophée des Grimpeurs, Anthony Geslin
- 1st Stage 2 Tour de Luxembourg, Laurent Brochard
- 1st Tour du Doubs, Vincent Jérôme
- 1st Estonia Road Race Championship, Erki Pütsep
- 1st Netherlands Time Trial Championship, Stef Clement
- 1st Tour du Limousin, Pierrick Fédrigo
- 1st Tour du Poitou Charentes, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st GP Ouest-France, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st Stage 1 Circuit Franco-Belge, Aurélien Clerc
- 3rd, World Championships, Time Trial, Stef Clement
2008
- 1st Stage 1 & 4 La Tropicale Amissa Bongo, Rony Martias
- 1st Overall Étoile de Bessèges, Yury Trofimov
- 1st Stage 3, Yury Trofimov
- 1st Stage 1 Tour de Langkawi, Mathieu Sprick
- 1st Stage 1 Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen, Aurélien Clerc
- 1st Overall Tour Ivoirien de la Paix, Rony Martias
- 1st Stage 1, Sébastien Turgot
- 1st Overall Circuit de la Sarthe, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st Stage 4 4 Jours de Dunkerque, Pierrick Fédrigo
- 1st Stage 4 Volta a Catalunya, Pierrick Fédrigo
- 1st GP de Plumelec-Morbihan, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st Stage 5 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, Yury Trofimov
- 1st Tour du Doubs, Anthony Geslin
- 1st GP Ouest-France, Pierrick Fédrigo
- 1st Chrono des Nations, Stef Clement
- 2nd Gent-Wevelgem, Aurélien Clerc
- 3rd Paris-Tours, Sébastien Turgot
2009
- 1st Stage 2 La Tropicale Amissa Bongo, Evgeny Sokolov
- 1st Stage 4 La Tropicale Amissa Bongo, Johann Tschopp
- 1st Overall Etoile de Bessèges, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st Stage 7 Tour de Langkawi, Yohann Gène
- 1st Overall Tour du Haut Var, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st Stage 2, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st Stage 2 Vuelta al Pais Vasco, Yury Trofimov
- 1st Tro-Bro Léon, Saïd Haddou
- 1st Trophée des Grimpeurs, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st Stage 5 4 Jours de Dunkerque, Pierrick Fédrigo
- 1st Stage 6 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, Pierrick Fédrigo
- 1st Stage 5 Tour de France, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st Stage 9 Tour de France, Pierrick Fédrigo
2010
- 1st Overall La Tropicale Amissa Bongo, Anthony Charteau
- 1st Stage 4, Anthony Charteau
- 1st Stage 5, Yohann Gène
- 1st Stage 2 Paris-Nice, William Bonnet
- 1st Overall Critérium International, Pierrick Fédrigo
- 1st Stage 1, Pierrick Fédrigo
- 1st Stage 1 Three Days of De Panne, Steve Chainel
- 1st Stage 2 Three Days of De Panne, Sébastien Turgot
- 1st Route Adélie de Vitré, Cyril Gautier
- 1st Overall Tour de Bretagne, Franck Bouyer
- 1st Stage 4 Circuit de Lorraine, Pierre Rolland
- 1st Stage 20 Giro d'Italia, Johann Tschopp
- 1st Stage 4 Critérium du Dauphiné, Nicolas Vogondy
- 1st France Road Race Championships, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st France Time Trial Championships, Nicolas Vogondy
- 1st Stage 15 Tour de France, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st Stage 16 Tour de France, Pierrick Fédrigo
- 1st Mountains classification in the Tour de France, Anthony Charteau
- 1st GP de Québec, Thomas Voeckler
2011
- 1st Overall La Tropicale Amissa Bongo, Anthony Charteau
- 1st Stages 2 & 5, Yohann Gène
- 1st Stage Etoile de Bessèges, Said Haddou
- 1st Stage 1 Tour Méditerranéen, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st Overall Tour du Haut Var, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st Stage 3 Tour of South Africa, Yohann Gène
- 1st Stages 4 & 8 Paris-Nice, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st GP Cholet, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st La Roue Tourangelle, David Veilleux
- 1st Tro-Bro Léon, Vincent Jérôme
- 1st Stage 2 Giro del Trentino, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st Overall 4 Jours de Dunkerque, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st Stage 4, Thomas Voeckler
- 1st Stage 2 Circuit de Lorraine, Sébastien Chavanel
- 1st Stage 5 Critérium du Dauphiné, Christophe Kern
- 1st Prologue Boucles de la Mayenne, Sébastien Turgot
- 1st Stage 2 Route du Sud, Anthony Charteau
- 1st France Time Trial Championships, Christophe Kern
- 1st Stage 19 Tour de France, Pierre Rolland
- 1st Young rider classification in the Tour de France, Pierre Rolland
Team roster
As of 4 January 2012.
|
Rider |
Date of birth |
| Yukiya Arashiro (JPN) |
September 22, 1984 (1984-09-22) (age 27) |
| Giovanni Bernaudeau (FRA) |
August 25, 1983 (1983-08-25) (age 28) |
| Franck Bouyer (FRA) |
March 17, 1974 (1974-03-17) (age 37) |
| Anthony Charteau (FRA) |
June 4, 1979 (1979-06-04) (age 32) |
| Sébastien Chavanel (FRA) |
March 21, 1981 (1981-03-21) (age 30) |
| Rafaâ Chtioui (TUN) |
January 26, 1986 (1986-01-26) (age 26) |
| Mathieu Claude (FRA) |
March 17, 1983 (1983-03-17) (age 28) |
| Jérôme Cousin (FRA) |
June 5, 1989 (1989-06-05) (age 22) |
| Damien Gaudin (FRA) |
August 20, 1986 (1986-08-20) (age 25) |
| Cyril Gautier (FRA) |
September 26, 1987 (1987-09-26) (age 24) |
| Yohann Gène (FRA) |
June 25, 1981 (1981-06-25) (age 30) |
| Saïd Haddou (FRA) |
November 23, 1982 (1982-11-23) (age 29) |
| Tony Hurel (FRA) |
November 1, 1987 (1987-11-01) (age 24) |
|
|
|
Rider |
Date of birth |
| Vincent Jérôme (FRA) |
November 26, 1984 (1984-11-26) (age 27) |
| Christophe Kern (FRA) |
January 18, 1981 (1981-01-18) (age 31) |
| Davide Malacarne (ITA) |
July 11, 1987 (1987-07-11) (age 24) |
| Matteo Pelucchi (ITA) |
January 21, 1989 (1989-01-21) (age 23) |
| Alexandre Pichot (FRA) |
January 6, 1983 (1983-01-06) (age 29) |
| Perrig Quemeneur (FRA) |
April 26, 1984 (1984-04-26) (age 27) |
| Kévin Reza (FRA) |
May 18, 1988 (1988-05-18) (age 23) |
| Pierre Rolland (FRA) |
October 10, 1986 (1986-10-10) (age 25) |
| Björn Thurau (GER) |
July 23, 1988 (1988-07-23) (age 23) |
| Angelo Tulik (FRA) |
December 2, 1990 (1990-12-02) (age 21) |
| Sébastien Turgot (FRA) |
April 11, 1984 (1984-04-11) (age 27) |
| David Veilleux (CAN) |
November 26, 1987 (1987-11-26) (age 24) |
| Thomas Voeckler (FRA) |
June 22, 1979 (1979-06-22) (age 32) |
|
See also
References
External links