By Paul Osborne

The French Cycling Federation has outlined plans to form a new professional cycling team similar to that of Team Sky ©Getty ImagesJanuary 31 - A French professional cycling team, similar to that of Great Britain's Team Sky, could come into fruition by as early as next year after an announcement by the French Cycling Federation (FFC) at the newly-inaugurated Vélodrome National today.

Word of a "Team Sky à la française" was first expressed almost 12 months ago by FFC President David Lappartient, who hoped to recreate the dominance exerted by Team Sky following their launch in 2010.

These plans were outlined further by FFC managing director Olivier Quéguiner in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines following the successful opening of the Vélodrome National.

The Vélodrome National, inaugurated yesterday, was itself a response to Britain's recent dominance on the track, and like British Cycling, the FFC plans to use its new headquarters as a springboard towards creating an elite professional road team.

With the Velodrome now up and running, Quéguiner revealed the federation was actively seeking a partner prepared to invest €100 million ($135 million/£83 million) over five years, with the goal of winning the Tour de France within that period.

Bernard Hinault was the last Frenchman to win the Tour de France, picking up the last of his five titles in 1985 ©Gamma-Rapho/Getty ImagesBernard Hinault was the last Frenchman to win the Tour de France, picking up the last of his five titles in 1985 ©Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images


Bernard Hinault's victory in 1985 remains the last by a French cyclist.

According to Quéguiner, the team would need an annual budget of about €25 million ($34 million/£21 million), of which €20 million ($27 million/£17 million) would be provided by a headline sponsor, and €5 million ($7 million/£4 million) from its suppliers.

The team, which is in the process of looking for a title sponsor to provide these funds, could enter the peloton as early as 2015, although Quéguiner acknowledges next year could be too soon given the fact a sponsor needs to be courted ahead of its major riders being signed.

"It is not 2015 or nothing," he explained.

"If not 2015, then 2016, but this team will happen.

"The platform for it is there.

"We have planned the velodrome complex around the fact that this team will see the light of day, so the office space is already there."

The FFC wants to use a similar system to that of Team Sky which has seen them pick up the Tour de France title for the past two years ©Getty ImagesThe FFC wants to use a similar system to that of Team Sky, which has seen them pick up the Tour de France title for the past two years ©Getty Images



Unlike Team Sky, Quéguiner outlined plans to create a multi-disciplinary team, competing in all four Olympic disciplines - road, track, mountain biking and BMX - as opposed to just the road.

"The main objective is to participate in the Tour de France and to win the Tour, but there is also the aim of the Olympic Games, which is maybe a difference to other projects," Quéguiner said.

"We are focusing on athletes in all disciplines."

The team itself will not necessarily be an exclusively French one; however, it will have "French DNA", according to Quéguiner.

"Success is the most important thing," he added.

"It doesn't matter where our team are from; riders, coaches.

"If we win the Tour de France with a British rider it would be wonderful for us because it would mean the team exists.

"That is our goal for now."

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