Jimmy Casper (Besson Chaussures - Sojasun) leads the general classification. (Image credit: Fabrice Lambert)
The UCI Continental team Besson Chaussures-Sojasun intends to upgrade to Professional Continental status in 2010 thanks to the signing of a new sponsor, Saur.
The team of Stéphane Heulot signed on with the water supply company Saur, allowing it to budget for the higher status. The newly renamed Saur-Sojasun team hopes to line up in Rotterdam at the start of the 2010 Tour de France.
18 to 20 riders are expected to be part of the team next year with Jimmy Casper and Jimmy Engoulvent still on the roster.
Bretagne-Schuller, the other continental team hailing from Brittany with the current French champion Dimitri Champion, is also rumoured to announce new sponsorship and upgrade to the Pro Continental status soon.
The elevated status of these French teams may help to fill a gap which could be formed if the Agritubel team does not find a replacement sponsor for the company which announced it would end its sponsorship of cycling at the end of this season.
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