With a risk of being relegated from the WorldTour for the next three seasons, the Cofidis team have parted ways with General Manager Cédric Vasseur, announcing his departure on Monday.
Raphaël Jeune, who spent two years as a pro in the early 2000s and was a sports marketing manager at Look Cycle International, has been appointed to take Vasseur's place.
"I leave Cofidis with great emotion and pride after intense years," Vasseur said according to the Cofidis team press release.
"I would like to thank Cofidis Group, the riders and all the staff for their trust and commitment throughout these years. I wish Team Cofidis many great and beautiful victories."
Vasseur, a former rider for the Cofidis team from 2002-2005, started as manager in 2018 when the team was still a second-tier outfit.
The team joined the WorldTour in 2020, bringing on rising stars like Guillaume Martin and Benjamin Thomas. The organisation also added a women's team in 2022.
Under Vasseur's tenure, the Cofidis team weathered the UCI's first three-year WorldTour promotion/relegation cycle in 15th out of 18 teams to remain in the sport's top tier.
However, the team has struggled over the past three seasons, dropping from 15th in 2023 to 20th last season and 21st this year for 20th overall. They are fighting for their WorldTour survival, 1,300 points behind 18th-placed Intermarché-Wanty in the three-year rankings that determine which teams will be eligible for the 2026-2028 WorldTour.
If Cofidis can overtake Uno-X Mobility, who they trail by 175 points, and the proposed merger between Intermarché and Lotto goes through, they could remain in the WorldTour.
Cofidis will rely on Jeune to lead the team through either a three-year battle for promotion back to the WorldTour or a strengthening of the team to avoid the same type of stress in 2028.
"His experience, his in-depth knowledge of international cycling, and his managerial skills will be valuable assets as we pursue our ambition to make Cofidis shine on roads around the world," Cofidis Group President Gilles Sauret said according to the press release.
Jeune, who worked with the team while with Look, said he is honoured to join Cofidis.
"It's a team I've already had the chance to work with and whose strength and professionalism I know. My ambition is to continue to help it grow, capitalizing on its talents and supporting it towards new collective successes," Jeune said.
