Frenchman has a deal with Madiot for 2016 but can leave if he finds a new squad
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Yoann Offredo (FDJ) had an aggressive race(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Yoann Offredo (FDJ)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Marc Madiot embraces French culture with frites?
Cannondale-Garmin boss Jonathan Vaughters in early-2015(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Yoann Offredo (FDJ)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Yoann Offredo (FDJ) is under contract for next season with his current team but that hasn't stopped the French one-day rider from looking for a new squad.
The rider signed a two-year deal with Marc Madiot's FDJ team at the start of the 2015 season but has apparently struck a deal with his current team – if he finds a new team for 2016 he can leave FDJ with their blessing and his current deal nullified.
Speaking exclusively with Cyclingnews, Offredo said, "I'm still in contract with FDJ because I signed a new two-year contract last year. I want to say that I have a lot of respect for Marc Madiot and FDJ. He is like a father figure to me and the team, FDJ, is a very strong and very big squad. However I had a discussion with Marc Madiot and I told him that I wanted to leave the team because I wanted to discover something new. This is about trying to try something new. It's not that I don't like FDJ, it's a team that is very close to my heart."
Offredo has been riding under Madiot's wing since turning professional in 2008. Despite a promising start to his career with a number of encouraging results Offredo has struggled in recent years and he was forced to serve a 12-month ban for a whereabouts violations in 2012.
"After my ban two years ago it was a really hard period for me. The team were a little responsible for that ban and I've been where I am for eight years. I have good relationship with my manager though."
At present Offredo is just talking to teams and he's reached out to both Cannondale Garmin's Jonathan Vaughters and MTN-Qhubeka. It's all about finding a new experience and a new culture.
"Maybe something like Garmin or MTN because I needed a new project and a new motivation. Marc Madiot has agreed to my request.
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"If I don't have another opportunity then I'll stay with FDJ. I don't want to stop cycling so if nothing comes, then I will stay with FDJ next year. This is just about trying to find a team with another culture."
Offredo hasn't given himself a timescale to work with, safe in the knowledge that he has a team already in FDJ should his main wish not be granted. The situation is that he has worked with Madiot for so long that there appears to be a strong bond between rider and manager.
"I'm talking with some teams but there's no real answer at the moment. I want to talk with some big teams because I want show that even though I'm in contract that I have a motivation to discover something new. I want to be at a big team, I don't know where, but it probably won't be with a French team.
"I've sent Vaughters a message last week because it's been complicated trying to call him and I'm waiting for an answer. I'm also been in touch with MTN but I'm open to anything."
Daniel Benson was the Editor in Chief at Cyclingnews.com between 2008 and 2022. Based in the UK, he joined the Cyclingnews team in 2008 as the site's first UK-based Managing Editor. In that time, he reported on over a dozen editions of the Tour de France, several World Championships, the Tour Down Under, Spring Classics, and the London 2012 Olympic Games. With the help of the excellent editorial team, he ran the coverage on Cyclingnews and has interviewed leading figures in the sport including UCI Presidents and Tour de France winners.
