'Tour de France stage is the ultimate goal' – Simon Carr to leave EF Education-EasyPost for Cofidis
Carcassonne-raised Briton signs three-year contract with French team
Simon Carr will ride for Cofidis in 2025 after signing a three-year contract with the team. The Briton arrives after spending the past four seasons with EF Education-EasyPost.
Although born in Hereford, Carr grew up near Carcassonne and emerged through the French amateur system, riding for AVC Aix-en-Provence before turning professional with Nippo-Delko.
A strong climber, Carr placed third at last season’s Mont Ventoux Dénivelé Challenge before winning a stage of the Route d’Occitanie. He went on to win the Tour de Langkawi at the end of last season, and he began 2024 on a similarly positive note, claiming a fine victory at the Trofeo Calvià. He later won a stage of the Tour of the Alps for the second year in succession.
"The project that Cofidis presented to me really appealed to me," Carr said on Tuesday. "I feel that the team's mentality, with its constant desire to perform, is very similar to my own, and my objectives were in line with those of the team."
The 25-year-old has started the Giro d'Italia on three occasions and has also lined out at the Vuelta a España, but he has yet to take his bow at the Tour de France.
"Having grown up near Carcassonne, I obviously dream of taking part in the Tour de France and aiming for a stage win – that would be the ultimate goal," Carr said. "I feel comfortable in mountain races and in breakaways. I also like time trials, which could enable me to finish well in the overall rankings."
Carr is Cofidis' fifth signing for 2025, with Dylan Teuns, Damien Touzé, Sylvain Moniquet and Valentin Ferron already confirmed as signing for the team.
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Guillaume Martin, Cofidis' figurehead since 2020, will leave for Groupama-FDJ, while Alex Zingle will ride for Visma-Lease a Bike next season.
Manager Cedric Vasseur hailed Carr as "another great recruit for the Cofidis team," and he approvingly noted the Briton's development under the stewardship of Jean-Michel Bourgoin during his time at AVC Aix-en-Provence.
"He's already shown great promise and we want to support him in his dream of shining on the roads of the Tour de France," Vasseur said. "Simon is joining a 2025 team with a new look and a new way of racing. He will be able to fully express his talent, his audacity and his aggressive way of approaching each race to make the Cofidis colours shine."
Barry Ryan is Head of Features at Cyclingnews. He has covered professional cycling since 2010, reporting from the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and events from Argentina to Japan. His writing has appeared in The Independent, Procycling and Cycling Plus. He is the author of The Ascent: Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and the Rise of Irish Cycling’s Golden Generation, published by Gill Books.