FDJ United-SUEZ have welcomed Red Bull as a new sponsor on the first day of the Tour de France Femmes, confirming the rumoured new partnership that Cyclingnews first reported in March.
Now one of the biggest and most successful teams in the women's peloton, this partnership has long been rumoured as Red Bull's first major foray into the women's sport, to add to their sponsorship of the men's team Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and various personal sponsorship of riders in the peloton.
Speculation only intensified last month when the team signed Kate Courtney on an immediate transfer, with the US rider a long-standing Red Bull athlete.
Even before the official announcement, the team were far from discreet about their new sponsor on Saturday, with a Red Bull vehicle blasting music at the team bus as the riders got ready for the start of stage 1.
The sponsorship is effective immediately from August 1, with FDJ riders donning Red Bull helmets for the opening stage of the Tour. FDJ United and Suez will remain the naming partners for the team, with contracts that run to the end of 2028.
"It's cool, no? I really like it," Demi Vollering said when asked about her Red Bull helmet.
"It's a special helmet and a new sponsorship for the team, or a partnership I have to say because it's really a partnership, we will work together with Red Bull from all sides, so it's an exciting thing and will bring us further for the future."
The team later confirmed the news via a press release, confirmed that "Red Bull becomes the team's Major Partner and Official Energy Drink Partner, with its logo appearing on FDJ UNITED-SUEZ team's helmets".
"Unveiled for the first time during the opening stage of the 2026 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, this partnership marks a new milestone in FDJ UNITED-SUEZ's growth trajectory," the press release said. "The team will benefit from Red Bull's expertise and performance ecosystem, particularly through the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center.
"This long-term collaboration will enable FDJ United-SUEZ to further enhance its working methods and continue its commitment to innovation and elite performance in support of its athletes."
Since its inception in 2006, FDJ United-SUEZ has been steadily growing as a women's professional team, and that growth has accelerated in the last few years, primarily with the arrival of Demi Vollering as a star signing and Specialized as a high-profile bike sponsor.
For Stephen Delcourt, who has worked with the team since the start and now manages the team, this partnership marks a huge milestone in the history of his team.
"We are delighted to welcome Red Bull with us, and this partnership is the pinnacle of all the structuring and development efforts we have tirelessly invested in over the past years," he said.
"What brings FDJ United-SUEZ and Red Bull together goes beyond the pursuit of performance alone. We share the determination to challenge established models and conventions, to innovate, and to imagine new ways of advancing and telling the story of our sport.
"Seeing this partnership come to life at the Tour de France Femmes is a truly special moment for our team, France-based with International ambitions. It marks a new step in our development and perfectly reflects our ambition: to keep progressing on the road while daring to push boundaries beyond it."
The first challenge for FDJ in their new Red Bull era will be this week at the Tour de France Femmes, where they are aiming to win the yellow jersey with Demi Vollering.
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