Decathlon will spend big to become a top team
The team now known as Decathlon-AG2R la Mondiale has never, in its 33 years of existence, won a Grand Tour, but according to comments in l'Equipe, it is targeting a Tour de France win and will spend big to make it happen.
First up is a change in ownership structure, with the French sports retailer taking control of the team. Vincent Lavenu founded the team in 1992 as Chazal and in 2022 sold a controlling interest to then-title sponsor AG2R la Mondiale before he was replaced as manger last year in favor of Dominique Serleys.
Now the team Lavenu created will transition ownership to Decathlon, which plans to increase the team's budget to as €40 million in 2026. That would be a significant bump over the WorldTour-median €24 million it ran on in 2023, the most recent year of the team's financial filings.
The investment "reflects our long-term strategic intention to deepen our involvement in the sport at the highest level,” Céline Del Genes, Decathlon’s Global Chief Customer Officer, told l'Equipe, adding that the goal was a long-term plan to shape the future of the sport. Decathlon has been active in the transfer market, with reported signings of Visma's Olav Kooij and Tiesj Benoot, and has young French talent Paul Seixas on contract through 2027, but it currently lacks a marquee Grand Tour contender. [l'Equipe]
