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BigMat joins FDJ as co-sponsor in 2012

published 24 November 2011

Building merchant firm confirms deal with French team

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FDJ controls the peloton (Image credit: Fabrice Lambert)

Team FDJ BigMat will be in the WorldTour in 2012. Big Mat International is joining the French FDJ team as co-sponsor, the team has announced.

BigMat returns to the pro peloton

Garmin moves on after BigMat sponsorship deal collapses

BigMat in talks to co-sponsor FDJ

BigMat is “the first European trademark of independent builder merchants (present in Belgium France, Italy and Spain)”, according to its website. It also sponsors the Continental team BigMat Auber 93.

At first the company had apparently intended to co-sponsor Garmin, but pulled out of that deal, before moving on to FDJ. It is said to be contributing 2 million Euro.

“BigMat shares FDJ cycling team's approach to sport and its values, which emphasize uncompromising performance, the proximity to the pubic, youth training and social responsibility,” the team said on its webiste. The arrival of this new partner, allowing us to strengthen respect for our values, gives us the means for new ambitions.”

FDJ had dropped to Professional Continental ranking in 2011, but received a WorldTour licence for 2012, which is said to have been decisive in BigMat's decision.

The team features such riders as Thibaut Pinot, Yauheni Hutarovich, Matthieu Ladagnous, Anthony Roux, and Sandy Casar. It had 30 victories in 2011.

In addition, the French Cycling Federation has reported three new signings for the team. Frenchman David Boucher will come over from Omega Pharma-Lotto, as will Finnish rider Jussi Veikkanen, who previously rode for FJD from 2005 to 2010. Also signing a one-year contract was Gabriel Rasch, of Garmin-Cervelo.