Festina cycling team
Encyclopedia
Festina is a former professional cycling team
that was active in the professional peloton
from 1989 to 2001. The team was sponsored by the watch manufacturers Festina Lotus AV.
team from 1989 to 1992. Then the team was based in Andorra
in 1993 and 1994. In 1995 the team became French
from which it would stay until the team retired from the peloton, with the sole exception of 1996.
In 1991 the team signed the Portuguese
cyclist Acacio Da Silva
who would win the sprints classification in that year’s Vuelta a España
.
The team signed Sean Kelly
in 1992 who won Milan – San Remo, the first Classic victory for the team. The team entered its first Tour de France
in 1992
. The team manager and directeur sportif
s at this time included Miguel Moreno Cachinero and Carlos Machin Rodriguez but Bruno Roussel joined the team in 1993 and would lead the team during its most successful years. Richard Virenque
joined the team in 1993. The following year the team challenged Miguel Indurain
in the 1994 Tour de France
whereby teammates Luc Leblanc
and Richard Virenque
finished the race 4th and 5th overall and Festina won the team classification. Over the following years, Festina would be present in the Tour de France with Virenque finishing the race 3rd overall in 1996 and second overall in 1997.
but after team soigneur Willy Voet
was caught by France-Belgium border officials with large quantities of doping products in his Festina team car, all members of the 1998 Tour team including the World Champion Laurent Brochard
and Christophe Moreau
were arrested and seven admitted to taking EPO and were ejected from the race. team doctor
Eric Rijkaert
was also arrested. Rijkaert was team doctor from 1993 to 1998.
Laurent Brochard
, Christophe Moreau
and Didier Rous
confessed and were served a six-month suspension before returning to racing whereas Richard Virenque
did not confess, releasing a book called Ma Vérité where he denied using doping products. However on October 24, 2000, Virenque finally confessed and was handed a suspension. The team doctor that was at the heart of the scandal, Eric Rijkaert
, released a book in 2000 about the affair and discussing doping in the sport called De Zaak Festina.
set up the Fondation d’Entreprise Festina which aimed to promote any actions that prevent doping taking place that are undertaken by institutions or individuals.
After the Festina Affair Juna Fernadez Martin, Yvon Sanquer, Michel Gros, Roberto Torres Toledano, Jacky Lachevere and Gerald Rue directed the team in its final years. The team achieved 3rd and 4th overall in the 2000 Tour de France
with Joseba Beloki
and Christophe Moreau
and won the 2001 Vuelta a España
with Angel Casero
before retiring from the sport at the end of the 2001 season. The sponsor Festina
continued in professional cycling by being the official timekeeper at the Tour de France
, the Giro d'Italia
, the Vuelta a España
and several other stage-races.
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 was active in the professional peloton
Peloton
The peloton , field, bunch or pack is the large main group of riders in a road bicycle race. Riders in a group save energy by riding close near other riders...
from 1989 to 2001. The team was sponsored by the watch manufacturers Festina Lotus AV.
Beginnings
The team first appeared as Lotus-Zahor but the following year, 1990, the team became Lotus-Festina. In 1993 the team became Festina-Lotus which it was known by until 2000. The team was a SpanishSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
team from 1989 to 1992. Then the team was based in Andorra
Andorra
Andorra , officially the Principality of Andorra , also called the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra, , is a small landlocked country in southwestern Europe, located in the eastern Pyrenees mountains and bordered by Spain and France. It is the sixth smallest nation in Europe having an area of...
in 1993 and 1994. In 1995 the team became 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...
from which it would stay until the team retired from the peloton, with the sole exception of 1996.
In 1991 the team signed the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
cyclist Acacio Da Silva
Acácio da Silva
Acácio da Silva Mora is a former Portuguese professional road bicycle racer. He was a professional from 1982 to 1994 during which he won stages in the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia and stages in many other stage races. He won three stages in total in the Tour de France, one in 1987, one in...
who would win the sprints classification in that year’s Vuelta a España
Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages...
.
The team signed Sean Kelly
Seán Kelly (cyclist)
John James 'Sean' Kelly is an Irish former professional road bicycle racer. He was one of the most successful road cyclists of the 1980s, and one of the finest classics riders of all time. From turning professional in 1977 until his retirement in 1994, he won nine monument classics, and 193...
in 1992 who won Milan – San Remo, the first Classic victory for the team. The team entered its first Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
in 1992
1992 Tour de France
The 1992 Tour de France was the 79th Tour de France, taking place July 4 to July 26, 1992. The total race distance was 21 stages over 3983 km, with riders averaging 39.504 km/h...
. The team manager and directeur sportif
Directeur sportif
A directeur sportif is a person directing a cycling team during a road bicycle racing event...
s at this time included Miguel Moreno Cachinero and Carlos Machin Rodriguez but Bruno Roussel joined the team in 1993 and would lead the team during its most successful years. Richard Virenque
Richard Virenque
Richard VirenqueRichard Virenque's name is pronounced Ree-shah Vee-rahnk. Virenque considers himself a man of the South but pronounces his name in standard French. Confusion is caused by the southern habit of pronouncing "en" as "ang" or "eng", making it Vee-rank. But Virenque says Vee-rahnk or...
joined the team in 1993. The following year the team challenged Miguel Indurain
Miguel Indurain
Miguel Ángel Indurain Larraya is a retired Spanish road racing cyclist. He won five consecutive Tour de Frances from 1991 and 1995, the first to do so, and the fourth athlete to win five times. He won the Giro d'Italia twice, becoming one of only seven people in history to achieve the Giro Tour...
in the 1994 Tour de France
1994 Tour de France
The 1994 Tour de France was the 81st Tour de France and included two stages in England , Stage 4, Dover to Brighton and Stage 5, around Portsmouth. It took place July 2 to July 24, 1994...
whereby teammates Luc Leblanc
Luc Leblanc
Luc Leblanc is a retired professional male cyclist from France. In 1994 he became World Road Champion.-Biography:...
and Richard Virenque
Richard Virenque
Richard VirenqueRichard Virenque's name is pronounced Ree-shah Vee-rahnk. Virenque considers himself a man of the South but pronounces his name in standard French. Confusion is caused by the southern habit of pronouncing "en" as "ang" or "eng", making it Vee-rank. But Virenque says Vee-rahnk or...
finished the race 4th and 5th overall and Festina won the team classification. Over the following years, Festina would be present in the Tour de France with Virenque finishing the race 3rd overall in 1996 and second overall in 1997.
Festina Doping Scandal
Virenque was a favourite in the 1998 Tour de France1998 Tour de France
The 1998 Tour de France, also called the Tour du Dopage , was marred by doping scandals throughout known as the Festina affair, starting with the arrest of Willy Voet, a soigneur in the French Festina team. Voet was traveling into France when he was arrested and found with large quantities of...
but after team soigneur Willy Voet
Willy Voet
Willy Voet is a Belgian sports physiotherapist. He is most widely known for his involvement in the Festina affair in the 1998 Tour de France ....
was caught by France-Belgium border officials with large quantities of doping products in his Festina team car, all members of the 1998 Tour team including the World Champion Laurent Brochard
Laurent Brochard
Laurent 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....
and Christophe Moreau
Christophe Moreau
Christophe Moreau is a French former professional road racing cyclist. For many years Moreau was the primary French contender for the general classification in the Tour de France: he finished in the top 12 in the GC five times and finished the race as best Frenchman in 2000, 2003, 2004 and 2005...
were arrested and seven admitted to taking EPO and were ejected from the race. team doctor
Team physician
The team physician for a sports team is the physician who is in charge of coordinating the medical staff and medical services for a sports team. They are also subject to activities involving team building...
Eric Rijkaert
Eric Rijkaert
Eric Rijkaert also written Eric Rijckaert was born in Oostwinkel, Belgium). He was a former Belgian sports physician and worked with the Festina cycling team. He was said to be at the heart of the Festina affair of 1998 that led to the withdrawal of the entire Festina team during the 1998 Tour...
was also arrested. Rijkaert was team doctor from 1993 to 1998.
Laurent Brochard
Laurent Brochard
Laurent 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....
, Christophe Moreau
Christophe Moreau
Christophe Moreau is a French former professional road racing cyclist. For many years Moreau was the primary French contender for the general classification in the Tour de France: he finished in the top 12 in the GC five times and finished the race as best Frenchman in 2000, 2003, 2004 and 2005...
and Didier Rous
Didier Rous
Didier Rous is a former professional road bicycle racer.He started his professional career with Gan in 1993 before leaving for Festina in 1997, the year in which he won a stage of the Tour de France...
confessed and were served a six-month suspension before returning to racing whereas Richard Virenque
Richard Virenque
Richard VirenqueRichard Virenque's name is pronounced Ree-shah Vee-rahnk. Virenque considers himself a man of the South but pronounces his name in standard French. Confusion is caused by the southern habit of pronouncing "en" as "ang" or "eng", making it Vee-rank. But Virenque says Vee-rahnk or...
did not confess, releasing a book called Ma Vérité where he denied using doping products. However on October 24, 2000, Virenque finally confessed and was handed a suspension. The team doctor that was at the heart of the scandal, Eric Rijkaert
Eric Rijkaert
Eric Rijkaert also written Eric Rijckaert was born in Oostwinkel, Belgium). He was a former Belgian sports physician and worked with the Festina cycling team. He was said to be at the heart of the Festina affair of 1998 that led to the withdrawal of the entire Festina team during the 1998 Tour...
, released a book in 2000 about the affair and discussing doping in the sport called De Zaak Festina.
Post Festina affair
Due to these doping scandals, the team reorganised itself and sponsor FestinaFestina
thumb|right|Festina watchesFestina is a watch company. It was founded in 1902 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.The manufacture's motto was Festina Lente . In 1984, Spanish industrialist Miguel Rodriguez, already owner of Lotus watches bought Festina and created the group Festina Lotus S.A....
set up the Fondation d’Entreprise Festina which aimed to promote any actions that prevent doping taking place that are undertaken by institutions or individuals.
After the Festina Affair Juna Fernadez Martin, Yvon Sanquer, Michel Gros, Roberto Torres Toledano, Jacky Lachevere and Gerald Rue directed the team in its final years. The team achieved 3rd and 4th overall in the 2000 Tour de France
2000 Tour de France
The 2000 Tour de France was the 87th Tour de France, and took place from July 1 to July 23, 2000. It was won by American cyclist Lance Armstrong. The Tour started with an individual time trial in Futuroscope and ended traditionally in Paris. The distance travelled was 3662.5 km...
with Joseba Beloki
Joseba Beloki
Joseba Beloki Dorronsoro is a Spanish former professional road bicycle racer.-Biography:Beloki turned professional in 1998 with Euskaltel-Euskadi, joined Festina in 2000, and then Team ONCE in 2001...
and Christophe Moreau
Christophe Moreau
Christophe Moreau is a French former professional road racing cyclist. For many years Moreau was the primary French contender for the general classification in the Tour de France: he finished in the top 12 in the GC five times and finished the race as best Frenchman in 2000, 2003, 2004 and 2005...
and won the 2001 Vuelta a España
2001 Vuelta a España
The 56th Vuelta a España , a long-distance stage race and one of the 3 Grand Tours, was held from September 8 to September 30, 2001...
with Angel Casero
Angel Casero
Ángel Luis Casero Moreno is a retired Spanish road bicycle racer who raced professionally between 1994 and 2005....
before retiring from the sport at the end of the 2001 season. The sponsor Festina
Festina
thumb|right|Festina watchesFestina is a watch company. It was founded in 1902 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.The manufacture's motto was Festina Lente . In 1984, Spanish industrialist Miguel Rodriguez, already owner of Lotus watches bought Festina and created the group Festina Lotus S.A....
continued in professional cycling by being the official timekeeper at the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
, the Giro d'Italia
Giro d'Italia
The Giro d'Italia , also simply known as The Giro, is a long distance road bicycle racing stage race for professional cyclists held over three weeks in May/early June in and around Italy. The Giro is one of the three Grand Tours , and is part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...
, the Vuelta a España
Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages...
and several other stage-races.
Important victories
- Vuelta a EspañaVuelta a EspañaThe Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages...
, Sprint Classification 1991, General ClassificationGeneral ClassificationThe general classification in bicycle racing is the category that tracks overall times for bicycle riders in multi-stage bicycle races...
2001 - Tour de FranceTour de FranceThe Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
, King of the Mountains Classification, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 World road race championshipUCI Road World ChampionshipsThe UCI Road World Championships are the annual world championships for bicycle road racing organized by the Union Cycliste Internationale...
1994 (Leblanc), 1997 (Brochard) National Cyclo-Cross championship 1991 National Time-Trial championships 2001 National Cyclo-Cross championship 1995, 1996 National Road Race championship 1992 - Milan – San Remo 1992
- Gent–Wevelgem 1996
- 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...
1995 - Étoile de BessègesÉtoile de BessègesThe Étoile de Bessèges is an early-season five-day road bicycle racing stage race held annually in Southern France, around Bessèges. Since 2005, it has been organised as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour and features as one of the first stage races of the European season.-Palmarès:...
1994, 1997 - Vuelta a BurgosVuelta a BurgosVuelta Ciclista a Burgos is an elite men's professional road bicycle racing event held annually in the Burgos province of Spain. Since 2005, Vuelta a Burgos has been a multi-day stage race as part of the UCI Europe Tour.-Palmarés:...
1995 - Tour de WallonieTour de WallonieThe Tour de Wallonie is a stage race cycling race on the UCI Europe Tour. It runs in Wallonia, the French-speaking part of Belgium in the end of July. Between 1974 and 1995 it was reserved to amateurs. Since 2005, the race has been organized as a 2.HC event on the UCI Europe Tour- Winners...
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...
1994, 1998 - Tour du LimousinTour du LimousinTour du Limousin is a 4-day road bicycle race held annually in Limousin, France. It was first held in 1968 and since 2005 it has been organised as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour. In 2011 it was upgraded to an 2.HC event. Between 1968 and 1974 it was an amateur race.-Winners:-External links:* *...
1996 - Giro del PiemonteGiro del PiemonteThe Giro del Piemonte is a semi classic European bicycle race held in the Apennine Mountains, Italy. The race first took place in 1906. Since 2005, the race has been organised as a 1.HC event on the UCI Europe Tour...
1997 - Coppa BernocchiCoppa BernocchiThe Coppa Bernocchi is an European bicycle race held in Legnano, Italy. Since 2005, the race has been organised as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour....
1997 - Tour MéditerranéenTour MéditerranéenTour Méditerranéen is a professional road bicycle racing event held in southern France along the Mediterranean Sea. The Tour Méditerranéen is a five-day stage race that began in 1974 and since 2005 has been a part of the UCI Europe Tour as a 2.1 event...
1997 - Grand Prix du Midi LibreGrand Prix du Midi LibreThe Grand Prix du Midi Libre was a multiple-stage cycling course in the south of France. The race, named after the newspaper that organized it, was first organized in 1949 and was an important preparation courses for the Tour de France...
1998 - Tour de RomandieTour de RomandieThe Tour de Romandie is a stage race which is part of the UCI World Tour. It runs in the Romandie region, in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. It began in 1947, to coincide with the 50-year anniversary of Swiss Cycling....
1998 - GP Ouest-FranceGP Ouest-FranceGrand-Prix de Plouay Ouest-France is an elite cycle race held annually in late summer around a circuit based on the small Breton village of Plouay since 1931...
1998 - A Travers le Moribhan 1998
- Tour du Poitou-CharentesTour du Poitou-CharentesTour du Poitou-Charentes is a road bicycle race held annually in the region of Poitou-Charentes, France. It was first held in 1987 and since 2005 it has been organised as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour.-Winners:...
1999 - Deutschland TourDeutschland TourThe Deutschland Tour was the most important multi-stage road bicycle race in Germany. Initially the race was held in May/June. Since 2005 it is part of the UCI ProTour and has been moved to August...
2000 - 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....
2001 - Paris–Bourges 2001
- Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré 2001
- Vuelta Ciclista a Chile 2001
Well known cyclists
- Acacio Da SilvaAcácio da SilvaAcácio da Silva Mora is a former Portuguese professional road bicycle racer. He was a professional from 1982 to 1994 during which he won stages in the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia and stages in many other stage races. He won three stages in total in the Tour de France, one in 1987, one in...
- Sean KellySeán Kelly (cyclist)John James 'Sean' Kelly is an Irish former professional road bicycle racer. He was one of the most successful road cyclists of the 1980s, and one of the finest classics riders of all time. From turning professional in 1977 until his retirement in 1994, he won nine monument classics, and 193...
- Abraham OlanoÁbraham OlanoAbraham Olano Manzano is a Spanish Basque former professional road racing cyclist. His crowning achievement came in 1995 when he became World Road Champion...
- Steven RooksSteven RooksSteven Rooks is a former Dutch professional road racing cyclist known for his climbing ability. His professional career ran from 1982–1995.- Tour de France :...
- Richard VirenqueRichard VirenqueRichard VirenqueRichard Virenque's name is pronounced Ree-shah Vee-rahnk. Virenque considers himself a man of the South but pronounces his name in standard French. Confusion is caused by the southern habit of pronouncing "en" as "ang" or "eng", making it Vee-rank. But Virenque says Vee-rahnk or...
- Jean-Paul van PoppelJean-Paul van PoppelJean-Paul van Poppel is a former Dutch racing cyclist, who was nicknamed Popeye.Van Poppel was one of the most successful Dutch road sprinters. He won stages in mass sprints in all three Grand Tours, sometimes from positions that appeared lost. In the Tour de France he won 9 stages altogether...
- 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...
- Pascal LinoPascal LinoPascal Lino is a French former road racing cyclist, who was born in Sartrouville, Yvelines.Lino turned professional in 1988, and is most famous for being the wearer of the yellow jersey of the 1992 Tour de France for 11 days...
- Luc LeblancLuc LeblancLuc Leblanc is a retired professional male cyclist from France. In 1994 he became World Road Champion.-Biography:...
- Lars MichaelsenLars MichaelsenLars Michaelsen is a Danish former professional road bicycle racer who last rode for Team CSC. He got his break through in his second year as a professional, when he won the 1995 edition of Gent–Wevelgem. In the 1997 Vuelta a España he won stage 1 and wore the leader's jersey for three days...
- 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....
- Emmanuel Magnien
- Christophe BassonsChristophe BassonsChristophe Bassons is a French former professional road racing cyclist whose career ended when he spoke out about doping in the Tour de France.-Origins:...
- Patrice HalgandPatrice HalgandPatrice Halgand is a French professional road racing cyclist, who is not currently signed to any team. He was one of only three Festina team riders who were named as clean during the Festina doping scandal during the 1998 Tour de France.Halgand indicated on 28 December 2008 that he is considering...
- Christophe MoreauChristophe MoreauChristophe Moreau is a French former professional road racing cyclist. For many years Moreau was the primary French contender for the general classification in the Tour de France: he finished in the top 12 in the GC five times and finished the race as best Frenchman in 2000, 2003, 2004 and 2005...
- Didier RousDidier RousDidier Rous is a former professional road bicycle racer.He started his professional career with Gan in 1993 before leaving for Festina in 1997, the year in which he won a stage of the Tour de France...
- Anthony Neil Stephens
- Marcel Wüst
- Joseba BelokiJoseba BelokiJoseba Beloki Dorronsoro is a Spanish former professional road bicycle racer.-Biography:Beloki turned professional in 1998 with Euskaltel-Euskadi, joined Festina in 2000, and then Team ONCE in 2001...
- Angel CaseroAngel CaseroÁngel Luis Casero Moreno is a retired Spanish road bicycle racer who raced professionally between 1994 and 2005....
- Alex ZulleAlex ZülleAlex Zülle is a Swiss former professional road bicycle racer. During the 1990s he was one of the best cyclists in the world, winning the Vuelta a España twice and taking the second place in 1999 Tour de France. He was world time-trial champion in Lugano in 1996.-Early career:Zülle was born and...