Castorama (cycling team)
Encyclopedia
Castorama is a former French
professional cycling team
that existed from 1990 to 1995 and was sponsored by the French
DIY and home improvement retailer Castorama
.
The Castorama team traced back to a team that began in 1976 when former French
cycling champion Cyrille Guimard
retired from the sport and took over as the main directeur sportif
of the Gitane-Campagnolo
team. The Renault auto group
bought out Gitane cycles
and also took over sponsorship of the team making the Renault-Elf-Gitane
team that dominated the sport from 1978 to 1984. At the end of 1985, Renault decided to retire from the sport so French
co-operative Système U
took over sponsorship from 1986 to 1989 making the Système U-Gitane
cycling team. During 1989 the team was called Super U-Raleigh-Fiat after one of the supermarkets owned by the Système U
group and rider Laurent Fignon
became the number one ranked rider in the sport with his wins in Milan – San Remo, GP des Nations, 1989 Giro d'Italia
and a very close second in the 1989 Tour de France
. Castorama
then took over the sponsorship of the team. For the first two years the team rode on Raleigh bikes
but then rode on Cyrille Guimard bikes. Guimard was general manager from 1990 to 1995 while Jacques Cadion, Bernard Quilfren and Pascal Dubois were directeur sportif
s. Fignon left the team in 1992 and for the first time left Guimard who had been his mentor. Jacky Durand
gave the team one of its biggest successes in 1992 when he won the Ronde van Vlaanderen. Durand attacked (with four others) at 217 km to the finish where there were 14 hills and 6 sections of cobblestones to be crossed.
) Cyclo Cross Championships 1990, 1993, 1994 Road Race Championships 1992, 1993, 1994 Time Trial Championships 1995
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
professional cycling team
Cycling team
A cycling team is a group of cyclists who join a team or are acquired and train together to compete in bicycle races whether recreational or professional - and the supporting personnel...
that existed from 1990 to 1995 and was sponsored by the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
DIY and home improvement retailer Castorama
Castorama
Castorama is a French retailer of DIY and home improvement tools and supplies. It has its head office in Templemars.The company became a subsidiary of Kingfisher plc in 1998, along with Castorama's own subsidiary Brico Dépôt. Some outlets have been converted or relocated under the Brico Dépôt DIY...
.
The Castorama team traced back to a team that began in 1976 when former French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
cycling champion Cyrille Guimard
Cyrille Guimard
Cyrille Guimard is a French former professional road racing cyclist who became a directeur sportif and then a television commentator...
retired from the sport and took over as the main directeur sportif
Directeur sportif
A directeur sportif is a person directing a cycling team during a road bicycle racing event...
of the Gitane-Campagnolo
Gitane-Campagnolo
Gitane-Campagnolo was a French professional cycling team from 1972 to 1977 which rode on Gitane racing bikes.-History:The team was called Gitane in 1972 and was directed by Andre Desvrages for whom, in 1973, future 1980 Tour de France winner Joop Zoetemelk rode. Gitane had sponsored teams during...
team. The Renault auto group
Renault
Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
bought out Gitane cycles
Gitane
Gitane is a French manufacturer of bicycles based in Machecoul, France; the name "Gitane" means gypsy woman. The brand was synonymous with French bicycle racing from the 1960s through the mid-1980s, sponsoring riders such as Jacques Anquetil , Lucien Van Impe , Bernard Hinault , Laurent Fignon ,...
and also took over sponsorship of the team making the Renault-Elf-Gitane
Renault-Elf-Gitane
Renault-Elf-Gitane was a French professional cycling team that existed from 1978 to 1985 and which cycled on and promoted Gitane racing bikes.-History:...
team that dominated the sport from 1978 to 1984. At the end of 1985, Renault decided to retire from the sport so French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
co-operative Système U
Système U
Système U is a French retailers' cooperative, comprising about eight hundred independent hypermarkets, and supermarkets, headquartered in the Parc Tertiaire SILIC in Rungis, France....
took over sponsorship from 1986 to 1989 making the Système U-Gitane
Système U-Gitane
Système U-Gitane was an French professional cycling team that was existed from 1986 to 1988 and which cycled on and promoted Gitane racing bikes. In 1989 the team was renamed Super U-Raleigh-Fiat and rode Raleigh racing bikes...
cycling team. During 1989 the team was called Super U-Raleigh-Fiat after one of the supermarkets owned by the Système U
Système U
Système U is a French retailers' cooperative, comprising about eight hundred independent hypermarkets, and supermarkets, headquartered in the Parc Tertiaire SILIC in Rungis, France....
group and rider Laurent Fignon
Laurent Fignon
Laurent Patrick Fignon was a French professional road bicycle racer. He won the Tour de France in 1983 and in 1984. He missed winning it a third time, in 1989, by 8 seconds, the closest margin ever to decide the tour. He also won the Giro d'Italia in 1989, after having been the runner-up in 1984,...
became the number one ranked rider in the sport with his wins in Milan – San Remo, GP des Nations, 1989 Giro d'Italia
1989 Giro d'Italia
The 1989 Giro d'Italia of cycling was held from 17 May to 10 June 1989, consisting of 22 stages. It was won by the French Laurent Fignon.This 72nd edition was 3,623 km long, completed at an average speed of 38.747 km/h.- General classification :...
and a very close second in the 1989 Tour de France
1989 Tour de France
The 1989 Tour de France was the 76th Tour de France, a race of 21 stages and a prologue, over 3285 km in total. In the closest tour in history, Greg LeMond was behind by 50 seconds at the start of the final stage, a time trial into Paris. LeMond rode for an average speed of 54.55 km/h ,...
. Castorama
Castorama
Castorama is a French retailer of DIY and home improvement tools and supplies. It has its head office in Templemars.The company became a subsidiary of Kingfisher plc in 1998, along with Castorama's own subsidiary Brico Dépôt. Some outlets have been converted or relocated under the Brico Dépôt DIY...
then took over the sponsorship of the team. For the first two years the team rode on Raleigh bikes
Raleigh Bicycle Company
The Raleigh Bicycle Company is a bicycle manufacturer originally based in Nottingham, UK. It is one of the oldest bicycle companies in the world. From 1921 to 1935 Raleigh also produced motorcycles and three-wheel cars, leading to the formation of the Reliant Company.-Early years:Raleigh's history...
but then rode on Cyrille Guimard bikes. Guimard was general manager from 1990 to 1995 while Jacques Cadion, Bernard Quilfren and Pascal Dubois were directeur sportif
Directeur sportif
A directeur sportif is a person directing a cycling team during a road bicycle racing event...
s. Fignon left the team in 1992 and for the first time left Guimard who had been his mentor. Jacky Durand
Jacky Durand
Jacky Durand is a retired French professional road bicycle racer. Durand had an attacking style, winning the Ronde van Vlaanderen in 1992 after a breakaway, and three stages in the Tour de France....
gave the team one of its biggest successes in 1992 when he won the Ronde van Vlaanderen. Durand attacked (with four others) at 217 km to the finish where there were 14 hills and 6 sections of cobblestones to be crossed.
Famous cyclists
- Vincent BarteauVincent BarteauVincent Barteau is a former French road racing cyclist. He is best known for wearing the yellow jersey in the 1984 Tour de France and winning the stage on Bastille day in the 1989 Tour de France.- Palmarès :1984...
- Laurent FignonLaurent FignonLaurent Patrick Fignon was a French professional road bicycle racer. He won the Tour de France in 1983 and in 1984. He missed winning it a third time, in 1989, by 8 seconds, the closest margin ever to decide the tour. He also won the Giro d'Italia in 1989, after having been the runner-up in 1984,...
- Jacky DurandJacky DurandJacky Durand is a retired French professional road bicycle racer. Durand had an attacking style, winning the Ronde van Vlaanderen in 1992 after a breakaway, and three stages in the Tour de France....
- Luc LeblancLuc LeblancLuc Leblanc is a retired professional male cyclist from France. In 1994 he became World Road Champion.-Biography:...
- Thierry MarieThierry MarieThierry Marie is a former French cyclist. Marie had a very good prologue: he won the Tour de France prologue three times in his career, and because of that he wore the yellow jersey in those three years, for seven days in total.- Major victories :1985198719881989- Tour de France :*1985 - 67th*1986...
- Bjarne RiisBjarne RiisBjarne Lykkegård Riis , nicknamed The Eagle from Herning , is a Danish former professional road bicycle racer who placed first in the 1996 Tour de France, and is now the team owner and manager of Danish UCI ProTour outfit Team Saxo Bank Sungard...
- Laurent BrochardLaurent BrochardLaurent Brochard is a retired professional road racing cyclist from France. In 1997 he won a stage of the Tour de France and became world road champion in San Sebastián, Spain....
- Dominique ArnouldDominique ArnouldDominique Arnould is a former professional road, cyclo-cross, and mountain bike cyclist. As a professional, the greatest wins in Arnould’s career were the World Cyclo-Cross World Championships in 1993 and a stage win in the 1992 Tour de France...
Important victories
World Cyclo Cross Championships 1993 (ArnouldDominique Arnould
Dominique Arnould is a former professional road, cyclo-cross, and mountain bike cyclist. As a professional, the greatest wins in Arnould’s career were the World Cyclo-Cross World Championships in 1993 and a stage win in the 1992 Tour de France...
) Cyclo Cross Championships 1990, 1993, 1994 Road Race Championships 1992, 1993, 1994 Time Trial Championships 1995
- Critérium InternationalCritérium InternationalThe Critérium International is a two-day bicycle stage race held in France every spring. It was formerly known as the Critérium National de la Route, first run in 1932....
1990 - Route du SudRoute du SudThe Route du Sud is a road bicycle race held annually in Southern France. It was first held in 1977 and since 2005 it has been organised as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour...
1990 - Tour de LuxembourgTour de LuxembourgTour de Luxembourg is an annual stage race in professional road bicycle racing held in Luxembourg. The Tour de Luxembourg is classified as a 2.HC, the highest rating below the ProTour, by the Union Cycliste Internationale , the sport's governing body. In 2006, the Tour was part of the UCI Europe...
1990 - GP de Wallonne 1990
- Tour du Haut VarTour du Haut VarThe Tour du Haut Var is an early-season two-day road bicycle race in the Provence region of France. From 2005 to 2008, it was organised as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour. In 2009, the race was changed to a two-day 2.1 event.-Palmarès:...
1990, 1992, 1994 - GP d'Isbergues 1990, 1991
- Paris–Camembert 1990, 1994
- GP de Denain 1990, 1991
- Ronde van Vlaanderen 1992
- Giro di PugliaGiro di PugliaThe Giro di Puglia was a road bicycle racing stage race. It consisted of three or four stages. It was first held in 1972, but last took place in 1998....
1992 - Tour de PicardieTour de PicardieThe Tour de Picardie is a professional multi-stage cycle road race held annually in Picardy, France. Since 2005, it has been organised as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour....
1992 - Tour de l'AvenirTour de l'AvenirTour de l'Avenir is a French road bicycle racing stage race, which started in 1961 as a race similar to the Tour de France and over much of the same course but for amateurs and for semi-professionals known as independents. Riders competed in national teams...
1993, 1995 - Four Days of DunkirkFour Days of DunkirkThe Four Days of Dunkirk is road bicycle race around the Nord-Pas de Calais region of northern France. Confusingly, since the addition of an individual time trial in 1963, the race has usually been held over a 5 or 6 day period. Since 2005, the race is organised as a 2.HC event on the UCI Europe...
1993 - Regio-Tour International 1994
- Clásica de San SebastiánClásica de San SebastiánThe Donostia-Donostia Klasikoa - Clásica San Sebastián-San Sebastián is a cycle race that has been held every summer since 1981 in San Sebastián, Spain...
1994 - GP d'Ouverture 1994
- Trophée des GrimpeursTrophée des GrimpeursThe Trophée des Grimpeurs, called Polymultipliée until 1970, is a single-day road bicycle race held annually in August in the region of Val-d'Oise, France, between Argenteuil and Sannois. Between 1980 and 2002 it was a criterium...
1995