French question credibility Pogacar again, TotalEnergies boss also lashes out at rich teams

Was TotalEnergies' season a success or a disappointment? A stage win in the Tour de France undoubtedly brings glory, but beyond that, there was little to celebrate. Riders such as Mathieu Burgaudeau and Pierre Latour underperformed. Matthéo Vercher and point collector Emilien Jeannière were highlights. What the team lacked, however, was a great leader. Julian Alaphilippe was the intended addition for 2025, but ultimately he opted for Tudor. With this setback and the necessary uncertainties, the focus is now on the future. Sport director Jean-René Bernaudeau, however, remains confident, though he has reservations about recent developments in the sport.

In an interview with Velofute, Bernaudeau looks back on 2024. "This season was much better than last year. It was a great season in which we showed our strengths in an environment still searching for its place." However, that optimistic outlook contrasts with the reality that TotalEnergies accumulated fewer UCI points this year.

"Ah, those points! No, we don't look at the points," Bernaudeau states. "Anthony Turgis' victory in the Tour is worth more than all the points combined." This a bold statement since UCI points are now essential for entry into WorldTour races, something the team is not guaranteed next year with their place in the UCI rankings.

For Bernaudeau, however, performance always comes first. "The ranking is a consequence of our performance, not vice versa. To win, you must risk losing. And all that chasing for points? That removes the appeal from the sport. The system has reached its limits," he is critical.

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Bernaudeau critical of Pogacar: "Credibility at stake"

Bernaudeau, who has been in cycling for more than a quarter century, criticizes the commercial approach in modern cycling. "Some teams buy their place in the WorldTour. Riders' contracts are also increasingly being bought off. That doesn't suit us. We want to educate, recruit, and develop a project. As we do with the sports studies in La Roche-sur-Yon, Vendée U, and our pro team, my sponsor could ask me to win the Tour by buying riders with a lot of power and points, but that has no taste. That's not who we are and not what my sponsor wants."

Bernaudeau also criticizes the current state of the sport. "The attractiveness and credibility of the sport are at stake. Look at Pogacar; I like him as a rider; he's nice, but this news about carbon monoxide rebreathers? That damages cycling's reputation."

In July, it was revealed that several teams, including Visma | Lease a Bike and UAE Emirates, were using carbon monoxide rebreathers. According to the site Escape Collective, it is a device that delivers carbon monoxide accurately and in doses into the lungs to measure important blood values. However, the technology offers more possibilities, including increasing oxygen uptake. It involves risks, however, and even the manufacturer advised against its use in riders. In fact, according to the teams, it was an exaggerated story and nit-picking. Bernaudeau has his take on it all.  

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Vercher devastated after second place in Tour stage

Alaphilippe's choice was heads or tails

Although Bernaudeau does not consider UCI points meaningful, participation in the Tour de France remains crucial to the team's future. However, plenty of hijackers are on the coast for the two leftover wildcards. The presence of Alaphilippe would have helped, but he instead opted to join the competition. "We made him a good offer, but he chose otherwise. Tudor has strengthened a lot this winter, and maybe what played into it was that he didn't want to be the only leader. He said it was a difficult choice and ultimately decided on instinct. Almost heads or tails," Bernaudeau said.

So, the Tour may be in jeopardy because choosing Uno-X or Tudor instead of TotalEnergies is reasonably arguable. "The Tour is vital to us, that's clear. But we have always respected the Tour, enjoyed it, and adorned it. That's not marketing talk; that's the truth. We hope not to be left out," the French team boss concluded.

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