Jean-René Bernadeau is facing a race against time to secure the future of the Europcar team. The car rental company’s sponsorship of the French Pro Continental team runs out at the end of 2015 and they announced at the end of last year that they won't be renewing.
This has left Bernaudeau struggling to find a sponsorship deal that would prevent the team from folding and riders and staff finding themselves out of work. With interest in cycling at its peak during the Tour de France, the manager and former rider is currently in negotiations but riders will understandably be getting twitchy and may be thinking about trying to secure a deal elsewhere.
L’Equipe reported that Bernaudeau has asked his riders to allow him two weeks to find a deal, after which they are free to sign contracts with other teams.
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“I have never lied, I have contacts and plenty of meetings. I’m going to Paris on Wednesday for two days. I’m not messing them around, I tell them the truth. I’m not going to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower," said Bernaudeau in an interview with RMC Sport.
"I know I have some good avenues. I know I could have signed something three weeks ago, but that came to nothing. But today I am sure of what I am offering; I know that there is interest. The Tour de France also raises interest."
The team developed from the Vendée U amateur set-up and entered the professional ranks in 2000 as Bonjour. Europcar took over as the main financial backer after its previous title sponsor Bouygues Telecom pulled out at the end of the 2010 season and the team jumped up to WorldTour level for a year in 2014.
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