Renault (cycling team)

History

The team was created in 1978 after the Renault auto group purchased the Gitane bicycle manufacturer and became the main sponsor of the Gitane–Campagnolo cycling team that was directed by former French cycling champion Cyrille Guimard and featured the promising young cyclist Bernard Hinault.

From 1978 to 1980, the team was known as Renault–Gitane but, from 1981 to 1985, the team was Renault–Elf. Elf being an oil company that was owned by the Renault auto group.

During this time the team with Bernard Hinault dominated the sport from 1978 to 1983 with four wins in the Tour de France, two wins in the Vuelta a España and two wins in the Giro d'Italia. Hinault won several smaller stage races as well as one day races which included Liège–Bastogne–Liège, Paris–Roubaix, Giro di Lombardia, the Amstel Gold Race and the 1980 World Cycling Championships.

Guimard signed several American riders which included future Tour de France winner Greg LeMond. LeMond made an immediate impression with his third-place finish behind Hinault in the 1981 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré. Hinault left the team at the end of 1983 after Renault–Elf teammate Laurent Fignon took over the designated team leader after winning the 1983 Tour de France.

Greg LeMond added to the team's laurels by winning the 1983 World Championship. The following year Fignon finished high in the Giro d'Italia, and then went on to become the 1984 French National Champion and winner of the 1984 Tour de France.

The dominance of the team began to wane in 1985, with Fignon suffering from persistent knee injury and rising star Greg LeMond leaving the team for Hinault's La Vie Claire team. The highlight of the 1985 season was Marc Madiot's win in the cobbled classic Paris–Roubaix.

After the 1985 season, the Renault auto group retired from sponsoring in the peloton and the French supermarket Système U became the main sponsor of Guimard's team. The team continued to ride on Gitane bicycle frames, who were co-sponsors for the team.

Major wins

;1978 :Overall [[File:Jersey yellow.svg|20px]] Tour de France, Bernard Hinault

:[[File:Jersey yellow.svg|20px]] Overall Vuelta a España, Bernard Hinault :Grand Prix des Nations, Bernard Hinault

;1979 :Giro di Lombardia, Bernard Hinault :La Flèche Wallonne, Bernard Hinault :Overall [[File:Jersey yellow.svg|20px]] Tour de France, Bernard Hinault

:Giro di Lombardia, Bernard Hinault :Overall Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré :Grand Prix des Nations, Bernard Hinault

;1980 :Paris–Camembert, Pierre-Raymond Villemiane :Liège–Bastogne–Liège, Bernard Hinault :Overall [[File:Jersey pink.svg|20px]] Giro d'Italia, Bernard Hinault

:Prologue & Stages 4 & 5 (ITT), Bernard Hinault

;1981 :Paris–Roubaix, Bernard Hinault :Amstel Gold Race, Bernard Hinault :Overall [[File:Jersey yellow.svg|20px]] Tour de France, Bernard Hinault

:Overall Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, Bernard Hinault

;1982 :Grand Prix d'Ouverture La Marseillaise, Bernard Hinault :Overall [[File:Jersey pink.svg|20px]] Giro d'Italia, Bernard Hinault

:Stages 12, 18 & 22 (ITT), Bernard Hinault :Overall [[File:Jersey yellow.svg|20px]] Tour de France, Bernard Hinault

:Tour de l'Avenir, Greg LeMond :Grand Prix des Nations, Bernard Hinault

;1983 :La Flèche Wallonne, Bernard Hinault :Overall [[File:Jersey yellow.svg|20px]] Tour de France, Laurent Fignon

:[[File:Jersey yellow.svg|20px]] Overall Vuelta a España, Bernard Hinault :Overall Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, Greg LeMond

;1984 :Stage 10 Giro d'Italia, Martial Gayant :Stage 20 Giro d'Italia, Laurent Fignon :Overall [[File:Jersey yellow.svg|20px]] Tour de France, Laurent Fignon

:Tour de l'Avenir, Charly Mottet

;1985 :Grand Prix d'Ouverture La Marseillaise, Charly Mottet :Paris–Camembert, Martial Gayant :1985 Paris–Roubaix, Marc Madiot :Grand Prix des Nations, Charly Mottet

National and world champions

;1978 :[[File:MaillotFra.PNG|20px]] French National Road Race Championships, Bernard Hinault :[[File:MaillotFra.PNG|20px]] French National Cyclo-cross Championships, Jean-Yves Plaisance

;1979 :[[File:MaillotFra.PNG|20px]] French National Road Race Championships, Roland Berland :[[File:MaillotFra.PNG|20px]] French National Cyclo-cross Championships, André Wilhelm

;1980 :[[File:Jersey rainbow.svg|20px]] World Road Race Championship, Bernard Hinault :[[File:MaillotFra.PNG|20px]] French National Road Race Championships, Pierre-Raymond Villemiane :[[File:MaillotFra.PNG|20px]] French National Cyclo-cross Championships, Alex Gerardin

;1982 :[[File:MaillotFra.PNG|20px]] French National Cyclo-cross Championships, Marc Madiot

;1983 :[[File:Jersey rainbow.svg|20px]] World Road Race Championship, Greg LeMond :[[File:MaillotFra.PNG|20px]] French National Cyclo-cross Championships, Martial Gayant

;1984 :[[File:MaillotFra.PNG|20px]] French National Road Race Championships, Laurent Fignon :[[File:MaillotFra.PNG|20px]] French National Cyclo-cross Championships, Yvon Madiot

;1985 :[[File:MaillotFra.PNG|20px]] French National Cyclo-cross Championships, Yvon Madiot

Notable riders

• Bernard Hinault
• Marc Madiot
• Laurent Fignon
• Greg LeMond
• Charly Mottet
• Vincent Barteau
• Éric Boyer
• Thierry Marie
• Hubert Arbès

References

References

1. "Accès équipes Renault". Mémoire du cyclisme.
2. "Racing". Gitane USA.