The future of Jean-René Bernaudeau’s historic French team is secure, with the outfit currently known as TotalEnergies unveiling a new title sponsor in the form of XEFI, a French IT firm.
The team, which started out as the Vendée youth squad in 1991, has been in the professional peloton since 2000, with the likes of Thomas Voeckler and Pierre Rolland making their mark on the Tour de France over the years, but the threat of its disappearance has loomed large all season.
However, on November 9, three weeks after the initial deadline for UCI licence applications, the team announced a new sponsorship agreement with XEFI, on a three-year agreement.
"I am particularly delighted to see XEFI join forces with Vendée Cyclisme, a company with which we share much more than ambition: a genuine vision of people and the future," said Bernaudeau.
"Personal fulfilment, kindness, high standards, dedication to a job well done and training are at the heart of our shared values."
More to follow
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Patrick is an NCTJ-accredited journalist with a bachelor’s degree in modern languages (French and Spanish) and a decade’s experience in digital sports media, largely within the world of cycling. He re-joined Cyclingnews as Deputy Editor in February 2026, having previously spent eight years on staff between 2015 and 2023. In between, he was Deputy Editor at GCN and spent 18 months working across the sports portfolio at Future before returning to the cycling press pack. Patrick works across Cyclingnews’ wide-ranging output, assisting the Editor in global content strategy, with a particular focus on shaping CN's news operation.
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