Announced today, the French Team Groupe Abadie and the Canadian Primeau Vélo Racing Team are set to merge in 2024. This collaboration, announced in a recent press release, is a strategic move by the main partners, Eric Primeau and Gérard Abadie. Their decision to pool resources aims to create a robust structure that will enhance their presence across both the American and European continents.
The newly formed team, named Primeau Vélo-Groupe Abadie, will be led by an experienced management team comprising Christine Gillard, Stéphane Roger, Allyson Gillard, and Manon Goudreault. The team’s roster boasts an impressive international line-up, with 14 female cyclists hailing from seven countries – Canada, France, Spain, Germany, Paraguay, Ecuador, and Cyprus. Agua Espinola is set to be announced officially soon.
Among the riders joining the team are 22-year-old Camille Primeau and 27-year-old Leonie Laubig, transitioning from original teams Primeau Vélo and Team Groupe Abadie, respectively. Their diverse skills, with Primeau’s talent as a time trialist complementing Laubig’s climbing abilities, promise a dynamic and versatile team.
This partnership marks a significant shift for Team Groupe Abadie, which moved up from N1 to the Continental level last winter. As part of the merger, the team will now operate under a Canadian license, reducing the number of French teams in the women’s Continental division next year. It’s undoubtedly linked to the move for French UCI-registered teams to pay their riders the French national minimum wage. By registering as a Canadian team, Group Abadie will be able to continue in some form at the UCI level rather than go back to National level or closing down.
