Decathlon CMA CGM will create a women's team for 2027, that will sit alongside their men's WorldTour squad, men's junior and under-23 development teams.
While no riders were named by the French team, the organisation revealed the squad will start at the ProTeam category, one step below WorldTour level. That is the same level as the St. Michel-Preference Home-Auber93 and Cofidis teams, so Decathlon CMA CGM should secure a place in the 2027 Tour de France Femmes and other major races. The team plans to step up to the women's WorldTour in the years to come.
The women's ProTeam will share resources shared with the men’s team, including the team's performance center and bike and clothing sponsor Van Rysel.
The team will be part of the Decathlon CMA CGM NewGen programme, led by Guillaume Bonnafond and will be based in La Motte-Servolex, in the French Alps near Grenoble.
"We aim to bridge the gap between the youth categories and the WorldTour, the world’s highest level of competition," Bonnafond said in a statement from the French team.
"Our philosophy is rooted in development and talent identification: we want to offer young talents from road racing, cyclocross, and mountain biking an environment conducive to their growth. The goal is to build a sustainable team that will join the WorldTour circuit in the coming years.”
The Decathlon CMA CGM women's team will have 12 riders in its first season, with a dedicated staff that includes a sports director, a coach, two athletic assistants, two mechanics, a doctor, a therapist, a nutritionist, and physical and mental coach support.
“The launch of our women’s team marks a decisive step in the development of our strategic plan. It is fully in line with our commitment to building a leading force in cycling, embodied by a diversity of talent and driven by collective ambition," team manager Dominique Serieys said in a statement.
"This new team builds on the momentum we’ve established and strengthens our organization. It will enable a new generation of riders to reach the highest level and establish themselves there for the long term. It also fulfills the vision shared by our shareholders and our partners."
