French national champion Nicolas Vogondy (Agritubel) (Image credit: Fabrice Lambert)
Bbox Bouygues Telecom team manager Jean-René Bernaudeau has three new riders for next season. He announced yesterday the arrival of Frenchmen Freddy Bichot, Nicolas Vogondy (both from Agritubel) and Anthony Charteau (Caisse d'Epargne).
"After the signing of Nicolas Vogondy is formalised, the group will be complete," Bernaudeau told L'Equipe. Vogondy, two-time French champion, has yet to ink his contract, while Bichot's and Charteau's signing are complete.
Bernaudeau also announced five riders to leave the team: Frenchmen Julien Belgy, Olivier Bonnaire, Arnaud Labbe and Rony Martias, and Russian Evgeny Sokolov.
Bbox Bouygues Telecom received official notice November 29 from the International Cycling Union (UCI) that it failed to meet renewal requirements for a 2010 ProTour licence. It has had a ProTour, or first division, licence since the inception of the ranking system in 2005. It will have to race 2010 at the Professional Continental level, or second division.
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