Vital Concept reportedly pulls out ahead of Tour de France, Oscaro to step up
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The Fortuneo - Vital Concept squad on stage(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Daniel McLay (Fortuneo Vital Concept)(Image credit: Sirotti)
Pierre-Luc Perichon (Fortuneo - Vital Concept)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The Fortuneo - Vital Concept team(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Laurent Pichon (Fortuneo - Vital Concept) in the attack of the stage(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
French Pro-Continental team Fortuneo-Vital Concept will have a compromised preparation for the Tour de France, with the news that Vital Concept will cease to sponsor the team from June 30.
French newspaper Le Telegramme reports a breakdown in the personal relationship between the general manager of the team, Emmanuel Hubert, and Patrice Étienne, president of the Loudéacienne company, Vital Concept.
The team changed its name to Fortuneo-Vital Concept from the 2016 season to reflect its new sponsors. From its inaugural season in 2005, the team had been known as Bretagne, with Jean Floc'h, Armor Lux, Schuller and Séché Environnement all co-naming sponsors for at least one season.
While Hubert has lost the Vital Concept sponsorship, Le Télégramme reports that the team will be known as Fortuneo-Oscaro from the Tour de France. Oscaro, an e-commerce company, specialising in automotive parts, already features on the side the team jerseys and on the rear of the team bibs.
Le Télégramme also reports that former professional cyclist Jérôme Pineau is putting together a new team which could include Bryan Coquard after the French sprinter announced he was leaving Direct Energie at the end of 2017.
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