TotalEnergies

This mercurial French ProConti outfit have gone through many iterations across their 23-year history, with some proving to be a lot more successful than others. 

Their enduring team manager, Jean-René Bernaudeau, has been with the team from the very beginning, witnessing the glory days of Bouygues Télécom and Europcar, as well as the less successful years under sponsorship from Direct Energie. In more recent years the team have struggled to match the form they displayed at the Tour de France in the early 2010s despite signing some impressive names, not least triple World Champion Peter Sagan.

However, the 2023 season proved to be the last on the road for the Slovakian talisman with him directing his focus towards the Olympic Games mountain biking, and without the French team, for 2024.

The five victories that made Peter Sagan unforgettable

Peter Sagan: I want to finish with mountain biking and finally enjoy something in cycling

Elsewhere last season, the team managed just eight wins, with only one on the WorldTour - Geoffrey Soupe's surprise stage win at the Vuelta a España.

TotalEnergies have taken a minimalistic approach to their transfer business for 2024. A handful of young Frenchmen have arrived whilst Edvald Boasson Hagen, Sagan and his trusty domestiques in Daniel Oss and Maciej Bodnar have departed. Expect Pierre Latour and Anthony Turgis to be the standout riders for an almost all-French squad.

Dries van Gestel

Mathieu Burgaudeau

Jason Tesson

Sandy Dujardin

Jordan Jegat

Steff Cras

Emilien Jeannière

Anthony Turgis

Geoffrey Soupe

Pierre Latour

Thomas Gachignard

Valentin Ferron

Julien Simon

Paul Ourselin

Fabien Doubey

Thomas Bonnet

Lorrenzo Manzin

Alexis Vuillermoz

Lucas Boniface

Mattéo Vercher

Fabien Grellier

Alan Jousseaume

Baptiste Vadic

Racing

Interviews

Patrick Lefevere: I really think Julian Alaphilippe wants to stay at Soudal Quick-Step

 wants to stay on the team and sign a contract extension. 

The French rider is on the market for 2025 and has drawn interest from long-term admirers 

 in recent weeks but Lefevere is planning to meet with the two-time world champion on the eve of the 

Lefevere has also confirmed that he’s on the market for possible Classics riders but that he’s still willing to discuss extensions with 

 - with both riders out of contract this year too.

“I see that you guys know more than I do but I’ve not spoken to his agent in weeks but Julian I saw at Flanders, so I know he’s at Romandie, and then I’ll be at the start of the Giro d’Italia and then we’ll see. Last year they said there was interest from Total but it was never concrete, so we’ll see,” Lefevere said when asked about the future of Alaphilippe.

Cédric Vasseur: We don’t want Julian Alaphilippe to come to Cofidis as a retirement home

‘Negotiations have started’ between Julian Alaphilippe and TotalEnergies

The relationship between Alaphilippe and his boss has recently appeared strained due to 

Lefevere’s controversial comments regarding the rider’s home life

and inability to provide results at certain points in the last few years. Lefevere has 

 in recent weeks and believes that despite any friction, a possible agreement could be made.

“Maybe for him it’s time for a new challenge but there are always two at the table. I don’t know but from the CEO of the team I know that his agent says that he wants to talk. As far as I know, talking is free,” Lefevere said.

Alaphilippe has been with Lefevere’s team since his days on the Etixx development team in 2013, and rose through the ranks at an electric pace to become the team’s marquee rider. 

That status has waned in recent years with the emergence of Remco Evenepoel and the Frenchman’s drift from star-studded status but Lefevere has been loyal to some of his biggest leaders, with the likes of Tom Boonen, Johan Museeuw, and Paolo Bettini all finishing their glittering careers as part of the Belgian’s stable. 

“Time changes. Maybe he has to look but I really don’t think that’s what he wants. I really think he wants to stay but I won’t speak before my turn because if I say something it’s misunderstood. He’s part of the family. Okay sometimes we have a discussion and it’s blown up but that’s family. If you’re married, not every day is peace. If you’re on a team with 85 people then it’s normal that there’s some discussion or some friction but at the end of the day we’re adults and if you can sit at the table, talk it out and speak face to face then it’s not a problem,” Lefevere said, before playing down some of the speculation linking the French rider with other teams.

Julian Alaphilippe calls into question his Soudal Quick-Step future and possible retirement

“There are nice rumours that can live their own life but it's also free publicity. It’s also the work of the agents to show to us and the outside world that there’s interest because it keeps the price acceptable.”

Alaphilippe is currently racing the Tour de Romandie, where he has looked in decent form during the opening stages. He will complete the stage race in Switzerland before targeting the Giro d’Italia in May. Lefevere is expecting the 31-year-old to come away with a stage win, while there are no plans to compete at the Tour de France in July.

“Everyone knows he likes the parcours in Italy and the first goal is a stage win. Normally we’ll decide to do the Giro, and from there normally we don’t send him to two straight Grand Tours. There is also the Olympics but I’m not the French selector. The Games in Paris, he’s French so every French rider wants to be at the Olympics,” he said.

Lefevere also confirmed that neo-pro Luke Lamperti would make his Grand Tour debut at the Giro alongside Tim Merlier.

Building a strong roster important for 2025 and beyond

Away from Alaphilppe’s contract situation, Lefevere is busy building his team for the future. Several promising riders have already delivered with Lamperti, Paul Magnier, William Junior Lecerf all delivering in their first seasons within the WorldTour. The Spring Classics were a disappointment for the Belgian team, with little to shout about in either Paris-Roubaix or the Tour of Flanders.

Patrick Lefevere calls crisis meeting following Soudal Quick-Step’s cobbled Classics campaign

"I can’t deny that the Flemish races weren’t that good for us,” Lefevere said.

“Fortunately, Mauri Vansevenant saved our honour in Amstel and Liège and now the Tours are beginning. I can see that the riders are doing well in Romandie. I’m curious to see what will happen in the coming days, while the people who are injured, with Remco and Landa, they’re recovering. 

"I think Remco’s recovery is going quite well. I met him last Thursday and he came to say hello. He brought some cakes for the staff, and he’s quite happy with how things are going. His next race is in the Dauphiné, and there are no changes to his schedule before then. We don’t like changes.”

On the recruitment front, Lefevere stressed that budget constraints were a pressing matter, with much of the team’s investment going towards the Grand Tours, and Evenepoel’s Tour de France aspirations.

“We need healthy riders. It’s difficult because you’re always bound by the budget and we invested a lot in the Grand Tours with Remco, Mikel Landa and some other guys. I know that we’re looking on the market with what we can do. It’s still early but agents are pushing and riders are signing very early. I’ll see.”

Former Tour of Flanders winner Kasper Asgreen and fellow Dane Casper Pedersen are both out of contract at the end of the year and Lefevere remains open-minded on possible contract extensions.

“It depends on their demands. If they’re reasonable in the negotiations then we’ll speak. Both of them didn’t have a great start to the season and Kasper saved his year last year with a stage in the Tour. He’s had bad luck and it’s hard to judge someone like that. I don’t say yes, I don’t say no. We still have to negotiate, and we’re not the only team on the market.”

For everything you need to know about the 2024 Giro d'Italia, from the 

News

Race News

 around securing his services for the coming seasons.

The French team have long appeared to be the likely candidate to sign Alaphilippe, having made their interest clear as early as last summer, but the process looks to be moving ahead properly now.

, TotalEnergies team boss Jean-René Bernaudeau confirmed that the contract conversation had begun.

“Negotiations have started,” Bernaudeau said.

“We met with him and Benoît Genauzeau [TotalEnergies sports director] last week. We’re doing our job, we are discussing with him, as with others, in order to move our project forward. Today, we are where we should be, but to continue we must present our plans.”

As well as being a big French star who would be a big signing for the domestic ProTeam, Bernaudeau praised the qualities the former world champion would bring to the squad.

“I like his state of mind, his desire. He doesn't make noise, works a lot,” Bernaudeau added. “He is disappointed to have had this fibula injury which did not allow him to express himself as he would have wanted during the start of the season.”

Julian Alaphilippe raced Spring Classics campaign with fracture, fearing criticism

Alaphilippe could also be a similar replacement for 

, who left TotalEnergies at the end of 2023 and left the team without a key talisman. Bernaudeau did confirm that the team is also talking to other riders as they look to build their next roster.

Whilst his next team may not be confirmed, and won’t be made official before 1 August, it seems certain that Alaphilippe will not renew with Soudal Quick-Step, with 

retirement also an option he alluded to earlier this year

As his results have waned in the last few seasons for several reasons, and the team move more towards Grand Tour ambitions with Remco Evenepoel, the Frenchman’s relationship with the team and team boss Patrick Lefevere has become strained.

Lefevere has been loudly and publicly critical of his once-star rider, even commenting on his partner Marion Rousse.

Marion Rousse rejects Patrick Lefevere’s criticism of Julian Alaphilippe

Most recently, Alaphilippe revealed how he rode much of the spring Classics with a fracture in his fibula, not wishing to speak out about his injury publicly for fear of criticism.

At a French team like TotalEnergies – he has never ridden for a French team as a professional – Alaphilippe may find a more fitting home as he approaches the final phase of his career.

For the latest news, interviews and analysis from the world of professional cycling, be sure to check out the 

 to stay up to date with all of the action from cycling's most exciting season.

Tech

Tech News

ENVE becomes latest brand to offer wheelsets with Classified’s Powershift hub

 Powershift hub gears will soon be available on 

’s range of road and gravel wheelsets as the two brands have announced a new partnership.

The Powershift hub has two internal hub gears, so riders can use a 1x setup with a range and spread of gears that is closer to a 2x setup. 

The technology will be available on ENVE’s Foundation, G Series and top-tier 

, as well as a part of a rolling chassis where customers will be able to build their bike online through ENVE's website. It will also be available as a part of full bike builds for the Melee, Mog and Fray, although only in Europe for the time being.

ENVE joins a host of other brands who has added the tech to their wheel line-up in recent years, including DT Swiss, Mavic, Reynolds and Hunt.

“We look to ENVE as a benchmark of premium cycling manufacturing and this partnership represents our continued pursuit of innovation and performance in the industry,” Classified CEO Mathias Plouvier said of the new partnership in a press release.

“By working together with ENVE and our other partners, we can make our technology accessible to more riders than ever, giving them access to a new level of shifting performance and versatility whether they ride on the road, gravel or trail.”

ENVE introduces the Fray, a new adventure-capable road bike

Classified’s Powershift hub has garnered plenty of attention over recent years thanks to its unique design, plus the big claims that have surrounded it.

Rather than a standard groupset, it uses a 1x chainset and a hub-based planetary gear system which offers two different gear ratios, either 1:1 or 1:0.686.

Despite only having one chainring, the different gear ratios allow it to emulate a standard 2x set-up. In the 1:1 ratio, the cassette rotates at the same speed as the hub shell, as is traditionally the case. The cassette then rotates faster than the hub shell in the 1:0.686 ratio, creating an easier gear that emulates riding in the small chainring – even though you’re still using a large chainring.

Classified releases white paper to prove Powershift hub efficiency

Classified says that the system has multiple advantages, not least a claimed 99% efficiency in both gear ratios. That stat has come under some scrutiny but the Belgian brand released a white paper in 2023 in an attempt to prove its findings.

The system has also been tested by pro teams and riders, including Lotto Dstny's Victor Campenaerts during the 2023 Classics campaign.

ENVE’s wheels are used by multiple pro teams, including UAE Team Emirates, home of 

who are also riding the American brand’s bike in 2024

 - opening up the possibility for the tech to make more appearances in the pro peloton in the future.

All of the new Powershift-equipped ENVE products will be available from 17 April in the USA and Europe, for the following prices:

Melee, Mog and Fray rolling chassis start from €7,699/$8,000

Full bike builds (available only in Europe)

Keep up to date with the latest tech news from the world of cycling on the 

How To Set Your Bike Saddle Height Quickly

The End For The Front Derailleur? | GCN Tech Show 334

New SRAM Red AXS Groupset - Detailed & Demoed!

Tubeless Inserts, Short Cranks & Track Tyres | GCN Tech Clinic

Dumb and Painful Things We’ve Done As Cyclists! | GCN Show Ep. 592

Name	Age	UCI Career Wins	UCI Points
Dries van Gestel	29	3	783
Mathieu Burgaudeau	25	1	768
Jason Tesson	26	11	637
Sandy Dujardin	26	1	591
Jordan Jegat	24	0	411

TotalEnergies

TotalEnergies

The Team

Top TotalEnergies Stories

Patrick Lefevere: I really think Julian Alaphilippe wants to stay at Soudal Quick-Step

‘Negotiations have started’ between Julian Alaphilippe and TotalEnergies

ENVE becomes latest brand to offer wheelsets with Classified’s Powershift hub

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