Crédit Agricole (UCI team code: C.A) was a French professional cycling team managed by Roger Legeay. From 1998 to 2008, the team was sponsored by the French bank Crédit Agricole. Prior to 1997, the team was known as Vêtements Z–Peugeot (1987), Z–Peugeot (1988–89), Z (1990–92) and GAN (1993–98). In 1990, the team's leading cyclist, the American Greg LeMond, won the Tour de France. The team also won the team title at the Tour de France that year. Crédit Agricole announced that they would cease to sponsor the team after 2008,[1] and the team was subsequently disbanded.
 | ||
| Team information | ||
|---|---|---|
| UCI code | C.A | |
| Registered | France | |
| Founded | 1987 | |
| Disbanded | 2008 | |
| Discipline(s) | Road | |
| Status | ProTour | |
| Key personnel | ||
| General manager | Roger Legeay | |
| Team name history | ||
1987 1988–1989 1990 1991–1992 1993–1998 1998–2008 | Vêtements Z–Peugeot Z–Peugeot Z-Tommaso Z GAN Crédit Agricole | |
| ||
History
editThe team was born out of the Peugeot cycling team, which existed from the early 1900s to 1986. Roger Legeay was the Peugeot team's last manager, and he created Vêtements Z–Peugeot in 1987 (taking its name from the children's clothing brand Z and the car manufacturer Peugeot). That year, the team made its appearance at the Tour de France, with Frenchman Pascal Simon as its leading cyclist.
In 1988, under the name of Z–Peugeot, the team achieved its first stage win at the Tour de France when Jérôme Simon (Pascal Simon's brother) won stage 9 of the tour. The team's second stage win came in 1989, when the Scottish rider Robert Millar took a mountain stage.
In 1990, the Tour's defending champion, Greg LeMond, moved to the team, which had been renamed Z. Riding for the team, LeMond won his third Tour title that year, coming in 2 minutes and 16 seconds ahead of the second-placed rider, the Italian Claudio Chiappucci. LeMond credited strong team support and tactics for his third Tour victory. And the team also won the team title at the year's Tour, coming in just 16 seconds ahead of the ONCE cycling team (the closest margin for the team classification in the Tour's history).
In 1991, with the team renamed simply Z, LeMond wore the yellow jersey for five stages in the earlier part of the Tour, but faded as the event progressed and eventually finished in seventh place, 13 minutes behind the new champion, the Spanish rider Miguel Induráin.
In 1992, LeMond struggled and eventually abandoned the Tour on the 14th stage. However the team picked up one stage win that year, with Jean-Claude Colotti winning stage 17.
In 1993, the team was renamed GAN. LeMond did not ride in the 1993 Tour. He returned in 1994, but withdrew after six stages.
Just prior to LeMond's departure the team acquired the British track cyclist Chris Boardman, a time trial specialist. Riding for the team, Boardman won the Prologue of the Tour de France in 1994, 1997 and 1998.[2]
The team also acquired a young Australian track rider, Stuart O'Grady, in the mid-1990s. He won several Tour stages and nearly won the points classification in the 2000 Tour de France. O'Grady held on to the yellow jersey as leader of the general classification for many days during that same tour.
The team was renamed Crédit Agricole in 1998.
German rider Jens Voigt joined the team until the 2003 season, winning a Tour stage and spending a day in the yellow jersey in 2001.
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The 2000 and 2001 seasons saw Americans Bobby Julich and Jonathan Vaughters in the team, making it the team with the most English speakers. The team also won the 2001 Tour de France team time trial in front of the ONCE and U.S. Postal teams. Julich and Vaughters left after one and two seasons respectively.
The 2003 season saw the emergence of Thor Hushovd of Norway as the main sprinter of the team. At the end of 2003 O'Grady and Voigt left for Cofidis and Team CSC respectively.
2005 was successful for the team. Pietro Caucchioli finished in the top ten of the Giro d'Italia and Christophe Le Mével took a breakaway stage win. In the 2005 Tour de France Christophe Moreau was the highest-placed French rider (11th) and Thor Hushovd secured the green jersey points classification.
In 2006, Crédit Agricole captured the team classification at the Tour de Pologne. Hushovd took stage wins and two days in the yellow jersey at the Tour de France, won the Gent–Wevelgem classic, and a stage win and the points classification at the Vuelta a España.
From 2005 to 2008, the team was one of the 20 which competed in the UCI ProTour.
The team disbanded at the end of the 2008 season when Crédit Agricole ended their sponsorship.
Major wins
edit- 1988
- Overall Route du Sud, Ronan Pensec
- GP de la Ville de Rennes, Ronan Pensec
- Stage 9 Tour de France, Jérôme Simon
- 1989
- Grand Prix du Midi Libre, Jérôme Simon
- Overall Route du Sud, Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle
- Stage 4 Paris–Nice, Bruno Cornillet
- Stage 4 Tour de Romandie, Robert Millar
- Stage 6b Critérium du Dauphiné, Robert Millar
- Stage 10 Tour de France, Robert Millar
- 1990
- Cholet – Pays de Loire, Kim Andersen
- Tour de Vendée, François Lemarchand
- Stage 4 Tour de Romandie, Robert Millar
- Stages 11 & 14 Giro d'Italia, Éric Boyer
- Overall
Critérium du Dauphiné, Robert Millar - Stage 11 Tour de Suisse, Kim Andersen
- Overall
Tour de France, Greg LeMond - 1991
- A Travers le Morbihan, Bruno Cornillet
- Route Adélie, Jérôme Simon
- Grand Prix du Midi Libre, Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle
- Circuit Cycliste Sarthe
- Overall, Bruno Cornillet
- Overall Tour du Poitou Charentes, Kim Andersen
- GP de la Ville de Rennes, Kim Andersen
- Trophée des Grimpeurs, Atle Kvålsvoll
- Giro d'Italia
- Stage 1, Philippe Casado
- Stage 4, Éric Boyer
- Grand Prix de Plumelec-Morbihan, Bruno Cornillet
- Stage 5 Tour de Suisse, Robert Millar
- 1992
- Overall Tour du Poitou Charentes et de la Vienne, Pascal Lance
- Overall Tour du Limousin, Éric Boyer
- Paris–Roubaix, Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle
- Overall Tour de Vendée, Bruno Cornillet
- Stage 8 Tour de Suisse, Éric Boyer
- Stage 17 Tour de France, Jean-Claude Colotti
- 1993
- GP d'Ouverture La Marseillaise, Didier Rous
- Overall Route du Sud, Éric Boyer
- Overall Tour du Haut Var, Thierry Claveyrolat
- GP de la Ville de Rennes, Eddy Seigneur
- Paris–Roubaix, Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle
- Trophée des Grimpeurs, Thierry Claveyrolat
- Stage 2 Critérium du Dauphiné, Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle
- GP Ouest France-Plouay, Thierry Claveyrolat
- Paris-Bruxelles, Francis Moreau
- 1994
- Prologue & Stages 3 & 7 Critérium du Dauphiné, Chris Boardman
- Stage 6 Tour de Suisse, Chris Boardman
- Prologue Tour de France, Chris Boardman
- Stage 21, Eddy Seigneur
- Chrono des Nations, Pascal Lance
- Overall 4 Days of Dunkirk, Eddy Seigneur
- World Time Trial Championships, Chris Boardman
- 1995
- Stage 2 Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco, Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle
- Prologue Critérium du Dauphiné, Chris Boardman
- Chrono des Nations, Pascal Lance
- A Travers le Morbihan, Francis Moreau
- Overall Tour du Poitou Charentes et de la Vienne, Nicolas Aubier
- Grand Prix de Plumelec-Morbihan, Francis Moreau
- 1996
- Stage 4 Volta a la Comunidad Valenciana, Didier Rous
- Overall Critérium International, Chris Boardman
- Chrono des Nations, Chris Boardman
- Overall Tour de Picardie, Philippe Gaumont
- GP Eddy Merckx, Chris Boardman
- La Côte Picarde, Philippe Gaumont
- Overall 4 Days of Dunkirk, Philippe Gaumont
- Overall Tour du Poitou Charentes et de la Vienne, Eddy Seigneur
- Paris–Nice
- Stage 1, Frédéric Moncassin
- Stage 8b, Chris Boardman
- Cholet – Pays de Loire, Stéphane Heulot
- Overall Tour de Vendée, Laurent Desbiens
- Trophée des Grimpeurs, Stéphane Heulot
- Critérium du Dauphiné,
- Prologue, Chris Boardman
- Stage 2, François Simon
- Stages 1 & 19 Tour de France, Frédéric Moncassin
- Grand Prix des Nations, Chris Boardman
- 1997
- Stage 5b Volta a la Comunidad Valenciana, Chris Boardman
- Prologue & Stage 6 Tour de Romandie, Chris Boardman
- Prologue Critérium du Dauphiné, Chris Boardman
- Stages 1b & 5 Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, Chris Boardman
- Tour de France
- Prologue, Chris Boardman
- Stage 5, Cédric Vasseur
- Stage 7 Vuelta a España, Yvon Ledanois
- 1998
- Stage 5a Tour of the Basque Country, Jens Voigt
- Prologue & Stage 4 Critérium du Dauphiné, Chris Boardman
- Stages 1b & 5 Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, Chris Boardman
- Tour de France
- Prologue, Chris Boardman
- Stage 14, Stuart O'Grady
- Stage 19, Magnus Bäckstedt
- 1999
- Critérium International
- Overall, Jens Voigt
- Stage 3, Chris Boardman
- Overall Tour Down Under, Stuart O'Grady
- Stages 3 & 5, Stuart O'Grady
- Stage 1 Paris–Nice, Chris Boardman
- Classic Haribo, Stuart O'Grady
- Joseph Vögeli Memorial, Chris Boardman
- Breitling GP, Jens Voigt and Chris Boardman
- Duo Normand, Jens Voigt and Chris Boardman
- Tour du Loir-et-Cher, Thor Hushovd
- Overall Tour of Norway, Thor Hushovd
- Annemasse-Bellegarde et retour, Thor Hushovd
- Stage 5 Tour of Sweden, Thor Hushovd
- 2000
- Overall Bayern Rundfahrt, Jens Voigt
- Cholet-Pays de Loire, Jens Voigt
- Tour du Finistère
- Overall, Sébastien Hinault
- Melbourne to Sorrento, Stuart O'Grady
- Stage 2 Critérium du Dauphiné, Fabrice Gougot
- 2001
- Tour de France
- Stage 5 TTT
- Stage 16, Jens Voigt
- Overall Tour Down Under, Stuart O'Grady
- Grand Prix des Nations, Jens Voigt
- Paris–Corrèze, Thor Hushovd
- Overall Bayern Rundfahrt, Jens Voigt
- Stage 2, Jens Voigt
- Overall Tour of Sweden, Thor Hushovd
- Stages 1a & 3, Thor Hushovd
- Tour du Poitou-Charentes, Jens Voigt
- Tour de Normandie, Thor Hushovd
- Tour of Wellington, Christopher Jenner
- Duo Normand, Jens Voigt and Jonathan Vaughters
- Stage 4 Critérium du Dauphiné, Jonathan Vaughters
- Stage 6 Tour de Pologne, Jens Voigt
- Profronde van Oostvoorne, Stuart O'Grady
- Gouden Pijl Emmen, Stuart O'Grady
- Ronde de l´Isard d´Ariège, Christophe Le Mével
- 2002
- Stage 18 Tour de France, Thor Hushovd
- Stage 3 Critérium International, Jens Voigt
- Stage 4 Four Days of Dunkirk, Christophe Moreau
- Stage 2 Tour de l'Ain, Thor Hushovd
- Boucles de l´Aulne – GP Le Télégramme, Christopher Jenner
- 2003
- Stages 6 & 8 Tour de Langkawi, Stuart O'Grady
- Le Tour de Bretagne Cycliste – Trophée des Granitiers, Dmitriy Muravyev
- Overall 4 Days of Dunkirk, Christophe Moreau
- Stages 4 & 5, Christophe Moreau
- Tour du Poitou Charentes et de la Vienne
- Overall, Jens Voigt
- Stage 4, Jens Voigt
- GP Jef Scherens Leuven, Thor Hushovd
- Paris–Bourges, Jens Voigt
- Stage 4 Tour de Pologne, Sébastien Hinault
- 2004
- Sachsen-Tour International, Andrey Kashechkin
- Flèche Ardennaise, Jeremy Yates
- Stage 3 Étoile de Bessèges, Thor Hushovd
- Classic Haribo, Thor Hushovd
- GP de Denain Porte du Hainaut, Thor Hushovd
- Tour de Vendée, Thor Hushovd
- Trophée des Grimpeurs – Polymultipliée, Christophe Moreau
- Stage 4 Deutschland Tour, Sébastien Hinault
- Stage 1 Critérium du Dauphiné, Thor Hushovd
- Stage 8 Tour de France, Thor Hushovd
- Overall Tour du Limousin, Pierrick Fedrigo
- Stage 2, Pierrick Fedrigo
- GP de Fourmies / La Voix du Nord, Andrey Kashechkin
- 2005
- Stage 3 Circuit Cycliste Sarthe – Pays de la Loire, Damien Nazon
- La Côte Picarde, Jean Marc Marino
- Stage 2 Circuit de Lorraine Professionnels, Bradley Wiggins
- Stage 1 4 Days of Dunkirk, Thor Hushovd
- Stage 4 Tour de Picardie, Damien Nazon
- Stage 7 Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, Damien Nazon
- Stage 16 Giro d'Italia, Christophe Le Mével
- Overall Tour de Luxembourg, László Bodrogi
- Stage 1 Critérium du Dauphiné, Thor Hushovd
- Route du Sud
- Stage 1, Nicolas Vogondy
- Stage 4, Patrice Halgand
Points classification Tour de France, Thor Hushovd- Overall Tour du Limousin, Sébastien Joly
- Stage 1, Sébastien Joly
- Stage 4, Thor Hushovld
- Stage 3 Tour du Poitou Charentes et de la Vienne, Jaan Kirsipuu
- Stage 5 Vuelta a España, Thor Hushovd
- Stage 8 Tour de l´Avenir, Bradley Wiggins
- Stage 3 Tour de Pologne, Jaan Kirsipuu
- Stage 2 Circuit Franco-Belge, Sébastien Hinault
- 2006
- Stage 5 Jayco Bay Cycling Classic, Mark Renshaw
- Stages 2 & 5 Étoile de Bessèges, Jaan Kirsipuu
- Tour de Langkawi
- Stage 3, Saul Raisin
- Stage 8, Sébastien Hinault
- Stage 4 Tirreno – Adriatico, Thor Hushovd
- Gent–Wevelgem, Thor Hushovd
- Tro-Bro Léon, Mark Renshaw
- Stage 4 Tour de Picardie, Sébastien Hinault
- Stage 7 Critérium du Dauphiné, Thor Hushovd
- Stage 4 Route du Sud, Patrice Halgand
- Prologue & Stage 20 Tour de France, Thor Hushovd
- Stage 6 Tour of Austria, László Bodrogi
- Stage 4 Tour de l´Ain, Patrice Halgand
- Prix d Armorique, Pierre Rolland
- Tour du Limousin
- Stage 4, Sébastien Hinault
- Châteauroux Classic de l´Indre Trophée Fenioux, Nicolas Vogondy
- Stage 5 Tour du Poitou Charentes et de la Vienne, Nicolas Vogondy
- Vuelta a España
Points classification, Thor Hushovd- Stage 6 Thor Hushovd
- Volta a Catalunya
- Points Classification, Thor Hushovd
- Stage 3 Thor Hushovd
- 2007
- Overall Jayco Bay Cycling Classic, Mark Renshaw
- Prologue, Mark Renshaw
- Down Under Classic, Mark Renshaw
- La Tropicale Amissa Bongo Ondimba
- Prologue, Jimmy Engoulvent
- Stage 1, Pierre Roland
- Stage 3, Sébastien Hinault
- Overall Tour de Langkawi, Anthony Charteau
- Stage 3, Anthony Charteau
- Stage 1 Étoile de Bessèges, Angelo Furlan
- Route Adélie, Rémi Pauriol
- Stage 1 Circuit Cycliste Sarthe, Angelo Furlan
- Stage 2 Tour de Picardie, Mark Renshaw
- Stage 4 Ronde de l´Isard d´Ariège, Ignatas Konovalovas
- Prologue Tour de Luxembourg, Jimmy Engoulvent
- Tour de France
- Stage 4, Thor Hushovd
- Stage 4 Tour de la Wallonne, Rémi Pauriol
- Stage 4 Tour de l´Ain, Patrice Halgand
- Stage 2 Tour du Limousin, Pierre Roland
- Chrono des Nations, László Bodrogi
- 2008
- Overall Jayco Bay Cycling Classic, Mark Renshaw
- Stage 3, Mark Renshaw
- Stage 1 Tour Down Under, Mark Renshaw
- Stage 4 Étoile de Bessèges, Angelo Furlan
- Stage 2 Tour de Langkawi, Jeremy Hunt
- Overall Tour Méditerranéen, Alexander Bocharov
- Stage 1, Thor Hushovd
- Stage 3, Alexander Bocharov
- Prologue Paris–Nice, Thor Hushovd
- Stage 4 Tour ivoirien de la Paix, Jimmy Engoulvent
- Stage 2 Volta ao Distrito de Santarém, Angelo Furlan
- Stage 2 Critérium International, Simon Gerrans
- Stage 6 4 Days of Dunkirk, Thor Hushovd
- Volta a Catalunya
- Points Classification, Thor Hushovd
- Prologue, Thor Hushovd
- Stage 1, Thor Hushovd
- Stage 1 Circuit de Lorraine Professionnels, Jonathan Hivert
- Stage 2 Tour de Luxembourg, Ignatas Konovalovas
- Stage 7 Critérium du Dauphiné, Dmitriy Fofonov
- Stage 1 Route du Sud, Simon Gerrans
- Tour de France
- Stage 2, Thor Hushovd
- Stage 15, Simon Gerrans
- Stage 5 Tour de la Wallonne, Patrice Halgand
- Overall Tour du Limousin, Sébastien Hinault
- Stage 1, Nicolas Roche
- Stage 3, Sébastien Hinault
- Stage 10 Vuelta a España, Sébastien Hinault
- Stage 3 Tour de Pologne, Angelo Furlan
- Grand Prix de la Somme, William Bonnet
- GP d´Isbergues, William Bonnet
- Stage 2 Circuit Franco-Belge, Mark Renshaw
National champions
edit- 1994
World Time Trial Championships, Chris Boardman- 1995
French Road Race Championships, Eddy Seigneur- 1996
- French Road Race Championships, Stéphane Heulot
- French Time Trial Championships, Eddy Seigneur
- 1997
- French Time Trial Championships, Francisque Teyssier
- 1999
Australian Road Race Championships, Henk Vogels- French Road Race Championships, François Simon
- 2002
Norwegian Time Trial Championships, Thor Hushovd- 2003
- Australian Road Race Championships, Stuart O'Grady
- 2004
- Norwegian Road Race Championships, Thor Hushovd
- Norwegian Time Trial Championships, Thor Hushovd
- 2005
- Norwegian Time Trial Championships, Thor Hushovd
Kazakhstan Time Trial Championships, Dimitry Muravyev
Estonia Road Race Championships, Jaan Kirsipuu- Estonia Time Trial Championships, Jaan Kirsipuu
- 2006
- Estonia Time Trial Championships, Jaan Kirsipuu
Hungary Time Trial Championships, László Bodrogi- 2007
New Zealand Road Race Championships, Julian Dean- Hungary Time Trial Championships, László Bodrogi
Ireland Time Trial Championships, Nicolas Roche- 2008
Lithuania Time Trial Championships, Ignatas Konovalovas
References
edit- ^ Credit Agricole stops team sponsoring
- ^ MacLeary, John (3 July 2014). "British riders to have worn the leader's yellow jersey at the Tour de France: Chris Boardman in 1994, 1997 and 1998". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
Further reading
edit- Fotheringham, William (5 May 2020). "Z Vêtements Cycling Team". Prendas Ciclismo. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
External links
edit