Renault–Elf–Gitane

Renault-Elf-Gitane
Team information
UCI code REN
Registered France
Founded 1978 (1978)
Disbanded 1985
Discipline Road
Cyclo-cross
Status Retired
Key personnel
General manager Cyrille Guimard
Team name history
1978-1980
1981-1985
Renault-Gitane
Renault-Elf

Renault–Elf–Gitane was a French professional cycling team that existed from 1978 to 1985 and which cycled on and promoted Gitane racing bikes.

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 contained the promising young cyclist Bernard Hinault.[1] From 1978 to 1980 the team was Renault-Gitane but then from 1981 to 1985 the team was Renault-Elf. Elf being an oil company that was owned by the Renault auto group.[1] 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 team mate 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 Système U-Gitane cycling team.[1]

Famous riders

Important Victories

Major results

1975
1st Paris–Camembert, Raymon Martin
1st Stages 14 & 18 (ITT) Tour de France, Lucien Van Impe
1976
1st Paris–Camembert, Bernard Hinault
1st Overall Tour de France, Lucien Van Impe
1st Stages 13 & 14, Lucien Van Impe
1977
1st Liège–Bastogne–Liège,
1st Stage 1 Tour de France, Pierre-Raymond Villemaine
1st Stage 14 Tour de France, Bernard Quilfen
1st Stage 22b Tour de France, Alain Meslet
1978
1st Overall Tour de France, Bernard Hinault
1st Stages 8, 15 & 20, Bernard Hinault
1979
1st Giro di Lombardia, Bernard Hinault
1st La Flèche Wallonne, Bernard Hinault
1st Overall Tour de France, Bernard Hinault
1st Stages 2 (ITT), 3, 11 (ITT), 15 (ITT), 21 (ITT) 23 & 24, Bernard Hinault
1st Stage 13, Pierre-Raymond Villemaine
1980
1st Paris–Camembert, Pierre-Raymond Villemaine
1st Liège–Bastogne–Liège, Bernard Hinault
1st Overall Giro d'Italia, Bernard Hinault
1st Stage 12, Yvon Bertin
1st Stage 14, Bernard Hinault
1st Stage 20, Jean-Rene Bernaudeau
1st Prologue & Stages 4 & 5 (ITT), Bernard Hinault
1st World Championship Road Race, Bernard Hinault
1981
1st Paris–Roubaix, Bernard Hinault
1st Amstel Gold Race, Bernard Hinault
1st Overall Tour de France, Bernard Hinault
1st Prologue & Stages 7 (ITT), 16, 20 & 22 (ITT), Bernard Hinault
1982
1st Grand Prix d'Ouverture La Marseillaise, Bernard Hinault
1st Overall Giro d'Italia, Bernard Hinault
1st Stage 11, Bernard Becaas
1st Stages 12, 18 & 22 (ITT), Bernard Hinault
1st Overall Tour de France, Bernard Hinault
1st Prologue & Stages 14, 19 (ITT) & 21, Bernard Hinault
1983
1st La Flèche Wallonne, Bernard Hinault
1st Overall Tour de France, Laurent Fignon
1st Stage 5, Dominique Gaigne
1st Stage 9, Philippe Chevallier
1st Stage 21 (ITT), Laurent Fignon
1st World Championship Road Race, Greg LeMond
1984
1st Stage 10 Giro d'Italia, Martial Gayant
1st Stage 20 Giro d'Italia, Laurent Fignon
1st Overall Tour de France, Laurent Fignon
1st Stage 2, Marc Madiot
1st Stage 3a (TTT)
1st Stages 6 (ITT), 15 (ITT), 17, 19 & 21 (ITT), Laurent Fignon
1st Stage 7, Pascal Jules
1st Stage 11, Pascal Poisson
1st Stage 12, Pierre-Henri Mentheour
1985
1st Grand Prix d'Ouverture La Marseillaise, Charly Mottet
1st Paris–Camembert, Martial Gayant
1st Paris–Roubaix, Marc Madiot

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Racing". Gitane USA. Retrieved 2007-11-09.
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