Red Bull Sponsors FDJ United – Suez Squad of Demi Vollering and Kate Courtney

The FDJ United – Suez team of Demi Vollering and Kate Courtney has been given extra heft by the addition of Red Bull as a major partner to the team, with the new collaboration being announced Saturday.

Coinciding with day one of the Tour de France Femmes, the deal will presumably add to the financial clout of the team and also see it acquire some of the same benefits that the men’s Red Bull – Bora – Hansgrohe squad enjoys.

“The team will benefit from Red Bull’s expertise and performance ecosystem, particularly through the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center,” states the team and the brand in a joint statement.

The partnership is referred to as a long-term collaboration and one that will enable the team to ‘further enhance its working methods and continue its commitment to innovation and elite performance in support of its athletes.’

Vollering starts the Tour de France Femmes as one of the key favorites, having won in 2023 and finished second overall in 2022, 2024 and 2025.

She is part of a strong lineup for the Tour, with Juliette Berthet, Célia Gery, Franziska Koch, Amber Kraak, Marie Le Net and Évita Muzic all there to support her.

US national champion Courtney recently signed for the team and while she will not compete in the Tour, she is attending the race to learn and give her support. She recently took victories in her European debut, speaking to <i>Velo</i> about that encouraging start.

Stephen Delcourt, FDJ United-Suez general manager, welcomed the collaboration and said it was a new step in the team’s development.

“This partnership is the pinnacle of all the structuring and development efforts we have tirelessly invested in over the past years,” he said. “What brings FDJ United-Suez and Red Bull together goes beyond the pursuit of performance alone.

“We share the determination to challenge established models and conventions, to innovate, and to imagine new ways of advancing and telling the story of our sport.”

Red Bull is described as a ‘major partner’ of the team and also the official energy drink partner.

It has reinforced the previously-titled Bora – Hansgrohe team, helping Remco Evenepoel take second overall in the recent men’s Tour de France.

Decathlon adds women’s pro team in multi-year commitment

Meanwhile in another positive sign of the growth and importance of women’s cycling, the Decathlon CMA CGM squad will launch a new women’s team, which will make its debut next season.

It will begin at the ProTeam level, one tier below the WorldTeam squads.

“The launch of our women’s team marks a decisive step in the development of our strategic plan,” said Dominique Seriez, the team CEO. “It is fully in line with our commitment to building a leading force in cycling, embodied by a diversity of talent and driven by collective ambition.

“This new team builds on the momentum we’ve established and strengthens our organization. It will enable a new generation of riders to reach the highest level and establish themselves there for the long term. It also fulfills the vision shared by our shareholder and our partners.”

The team will comprise 12 riders in its first season and will share the resources available for the men’s squad, including the Performance Center.

The team will presumably graduate to WorldTeam level in the future, but will already have clout in 2027. More importantly, it shows how the women’s side of the sport is continuing to evolve and to be taken more seriously by established WorldTour squads.