Arkéa-Samsic to field women's team in 2020

The Arkéa-Samsic organisation will field a women's team for 2020 in addition to their men's Professional Continental outfit. Arkéa-Samsic sponsored the US Vern amateur women's team in 2019.

Three riders will move across to the pro team, including 21-year-old Coupe de France winner Lucie Jounier, 18-year-old Amandine Fouquenet and Coralie Houdin (24). Also joining are three members of the Charente-Maritime squad Anais Morichon, Pauline Allin, and Gladys Verhulst, 2018 junior national champion and winner of this year's La Picto-Charentaise.

Moroccan road race champion Fatima Zahra El Hayani, French junior road race champion Lea Curinier (Team Feminin Auvergne-Rhone-Alps), 40-year-old Duathlon World Champion Sandra Levenez and former French junior national champion Typhaine Laurance round out the team.

The news of the team's formation was eclipsed in September by the arrival of Nairo Quintana to the men's team. Manager Emmanuel Hubert announced the team on September 2 for the squad to be based in Bruz (Ille-et-Vilaine).

"It will be done slowly, because we have been a little late to build it, but it will be created," Hubert said in September. "It won't be at WorldTour level, but at the highest French level I hope."