Arkéa-Samsic Partners with Cross Team Legendre

Team Arkéa-Samsic is continuing its multidisciplinary development, following the creation of a 100% women’s team, Arkéa Pro Cycling Team. The team managed by Emmanuel Hubert will sponsor Steve Chainel’s Cross Team Legendre, a professional UCI cyclo-cross team (P-Cross). A first in France.

Source: Press Release / Photo credits: Arkéa-Samsic / Groupe Legendre

Vincent Legendre, President of Groupe Legendre: “As a partner of the professional road cycling team Arkéa-Samsic, and personally passionate about cycling, the idea of supporting a professional French cyclo-cross team clearly excited me. This discipline, still not widely covered by the media in France, clearly resonated with who we are and what we believe in. Cyclo-cross is an extreme, technical, and difficult sport for which it is easy to find similarities with the construction trades: working hard despite sometimes difficult conditions, showing perseverance, surrounding oneself with the right partners, and knowing how to seize opportunities along the way. This strategy has, so far, always worked for us, and that is exactly what we wish for Cross Team Legendre. And by supporting this team, we hope to have the chance to see a world champion from Cross Team Legendre in the coming years. The first cyclo-cross world champion in 1951 was French. We would be delighted to have a rider in the near future who, under the Legendre banner, will wear the rainbow jersey dedicated to cycling World Champions, just like the pioneer Roger Rondeaux. So, you can easily understand, joining this adventure was almost an obvious choice!”

Emmanuel Hubert, General Manager of Arkéa-Samsic and Arkéa Pro Cycling Team: “Our cycling culture is geared towards plurality, so it is only natural that after the creation of a women’s team, Arkéa Pro Cycling Team, we will partner with Steve Chainel’s Cross Team Legendre. This association is natural since we will have Cross Team Legendre and Team Arkéa-Samsic, two transversal partners, with Legendre company and Canyon. The action initiated by Steve Chainel in favor of cyclo-cross and the development of the discipline in France as well as internationally, with the essential policy of training young riders, could not leave us indifferent. By becoming sponsors of Cross Team Legendre, the Arkéa-Samsic team begins a new adventure and sets foot in this very beautiful school of cycling that is cyclo-cross, a specialty that often allows us to discover the talents of tomorrow. I indeed consider this winter discipline to be formative, insofar as the efforts required are always high intensity and can subsequently be ideally transferred to the road; the recent examples of very good cyclo-cross riders who have become top road riders are no longer to be demonstrated. I also want to highlight the great commitment of Chazal company, which for years supported Steve Chainel’s project, and which remains by his side, even if next season, the team’s naming will be taken by Vincent Legendre’s eponymous company.”

David Burgy, manager of Salaison Chazal company: “Already alongside Vincent LAVENU in 1992 to build the Chazal team, which became Ag2r la mondiale, our House has always wanted to support ambitious sports projects, while upholding its cherished values: team spirit, combativeness, solidarity. It has now been five years that we have been supporting Steve in our own way, and today, what a pleasure to see a passionate person once again realize his dream, but also that of all those who surround and support him… Bravo Steve, congratulations to this great Cross Team Legendre team, and long live this formidable project!”

Rodolphe Beyer, Manager of Team Cross Legendre: “Succeeding in finalizing such an association between Arkéa-Samsic, the reference French road team, and the reference French cyclo-cross team is a huge satisfaction. Developing a true sponsorship between the team managed by Emmanuel Hubert and our team will allow us to benefit from strong synergies both on a human level and in terms of training or material and sporting performance, with additional financial resources thanks to Vincent Legendre’s trust and passion for the Cyclo-cross discipline. This is the culmination of all the work done by Steve and the entire Cross Team over 5 years. As Manager of Cross Team Legendre, I am satisfied to allow Steve’s project to take on a new dimension and to help the Team and French cyclo-cross take an important step forward. How can I not thank David Burgy of Chazal for his trust all these years and for remaining by our side at the same level of investment. The fact that Legendre and Canyon are positioned transversally alongside both Arkéa-Samsic and the Cross Team also gives the project its full dimension. Groupe Legendre is the guarantor of the affiliation between these two entities and ensures the long-term sustainability of the project. We are delighted to allow our riders to benefit from such a structure in France!”

Steve Chainel, founder of the Cross Team: “What satisfaction to see that my project is appreciated and to find a new development through the Legendre group, still accompanied by our historical partners Chazal and Canyon. It’s motivating to see that such a great team as the one managed by Emmanuel Hubert, through partners such as Arkéa and Samsic, is interested in my beloved discipline. What pride I feel in growing the discipline in France, and in trying to bring one or more young talents to the highest step of the world championship. Welcome to the Legendre group in the cyclo-cross adventure, thank you for the trust Vincent Legendre places in us, he can count on the entire Cross Team Legendre to convey, as I have done for five years, the values of hard work, self-sacrifice, and friendliness towards enthusiasts and novices alike. Long live Cross Team Legendre, long live cyclo-cross.”