Cofidis announced their final addition for 2023, signing Belgian Christophe Noppe from Arkéa-Samsic on a two-year contract. The 27-year-old is one of four new riders for the 30-rider French team, who also picked up Jonathan Lastra from Caja Rural-Seguros RGA and two neo-pros, Harrison Wood and Axel Mariault.
Born in Oudenaarde, home to the Tour of Flanders, Noppe grew up steeped in the cobbled classics and made his debut in Paris-Roubaix and Tour of Flanders in 2021.
"I am really happy to join the Cofidis team. It's a team that made me dream when I was a kid, and it's been a force to be reckoned with in the peloton for years. I can't wait to start the adventure and help my teammates in the classics as well as in the stage races. I feel like I know the classics by heart, they are really the races I love the most," Noppe said.
"I'm looking forward to putting my experience at the service of my teammates, to do everything I can so that they can express their talent and obtain victories and places of honour."
Cofidis retained most of their existing roster, saying goodbye to Kevin Vanbilsen, Tom Bohli, Sander Armee, Davide Villella and Szymon Sajnok. The team's top riders return, with Guillaume Martin extending through to 2024 along with Ion Izagirre, while Jose Herrada and Eddy Fine extended through 2023.
"We are delighted to welcome Christophe to the team for the next two seasons," manager Cédric Vasseur said. "We want to continue with riders who can contribute to the team's progress.
"Christophe represents this progression in the classics with his knowledge of the terrain, tactics and approach. He has also arrived to support and put his experience at the service of Axel Zingle who has shown real predispositions in this type of classic.
"We are sure that Christophe will quickly integrate into the group and into a race program that suits him. He will also be able to express himself on certain occasions. With him, we complete our 2023 squad. And when we see the richness of the riders that make up the team, we are already looking forward to the next season."
Cofidis for 2023
- Piet Allegaert
- François Bidard
- André Carvalho
- Thomas Champion
- Davide Cimolai
- Simone Consonni
- Bryan Coquard
- Alexandre Delettre
- Ruben Fernandez
- Eddy Finé
- Simon Geschke
- Jesus Herrada
- José Herrada
- Ion Izagirre
- Wesley Kreder
- Victor Lafay
- Jonathan Lastra
- Axel Mariault
- Guillaume Martin
- Christophe Noppe
- Anthony Perez
- Pierre-Luc Périchon
- Alexis Renard
- Rémy Rochas
- Benjamin Thomas
- Hugo Toumire
- Jelle Wallays
- Max Walscheid
- Harrison Wood
- Axel Zingle
