The last leg of the classic cycling season concludes with Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and the cycling world is buzzing with excitement. Recently, Decathlon, a sporting goods retailer known as the Aldi of France, has partnered with Pro Tour team Decathlon AG2R to supply bicycles. The first spring classics with their bicycles have been deemed successful, with several top 10 finishes and Benoît Cosnefroy’s victory in the Brabantse Pijl.
Decathlon aimed to showcase their strategic thinking behind this sponsorship when they hosted journalists near their headquarters in Villeneuve d’Ascq, a suburb of Lille near Roubaix. The Van Rysel cycling brand, part of Decathlon, originates from Lille, where the bicycles are both designed and manufactured. Two days before Paris-Roubaix, Decathlon hosted journalists in a tent near the cobblestone section of Moulin-de-Vertain, where they showcased their high-end racing bikes.
Professional cyclists from the Decathlon-AG2R team were present at the event to demonstrate their appreciation for Van Rysel bicycles. Oliver Naesen, a member of the team, praised the quality of the racing bikes and explained what makes them stand out. Decathlon’s investment in creating top-quality bicycles stems from their large resources and capacity to work with leading suppliers, offering a competitive advantage.
Nicolas Pierron, director of Van Rysel, emphasized Decathlon’s broader strategy of providing high-quality products across various sports such as tennis and football. The intention is for Van Rysel’s reputation for excellence to positively impact the entire Decathlon group. The success of Van Rysel’s bicycles has exceeded expectations with high demand from customers worldwide.
Decathlon’s history in professional cycling dates back to the late 1990s and reentering into sport sponsorship signifies significant investment in bike racing partnerships. They leverage social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter to maximize exposure for their riders aiming to capitalize on global reach potential cyclists have today. Additionally to bikes they are exploring innovative safety solutions for cyclists such as airbags and protective gear too.
The design and development of Van Rysel’s professional bikes took approximately three years using resources like Onera wind tunnel testing facilities located across street from headquarters for quality control tests.
With its focus on quality innovation sustainability decathlon continues making strides in world professional cycling beyond its borders