"Announcements will be made shortly": TotalEnergies manager reveals the team's future appears to be almost secured

The TotalEnergies formation has been a consistent force of professional peloton for a few decades now, yet it's come close to its extinction at the end of this season with title sponsor TotalEnergies expected to move to a bigger scene as Netcompany's partner in WorldTour from 2027. That left the French team in a delicate situation - in an avid need to rebuild its financial structure.

"It's progressing very well; announcements will be made shortly regarding certain aspects of the structure," team manager Stéphane Heulot declares optimisticly in an interview for DirectVelo.

But we shouldn't expects any further details for the time being: "We're still working on it. The team has been through this situation before. We understand the unique nature of our sport, where long-term economic planning isn't always possible. It's a continuous and repetitive process. We're on top of it. It's important not to give up. It's a difficult situation, of course, but we're working tirelessly and hope for a positive outcome, as soon as possible."

"We're always confident, but you know the geopolitical climate as well as we do. The economic situation is what it is, but what I'm sensing in meetings is a kind of over-caution, which I've noticed," the Frenchman reveals about the on-going negotiations. "Sponsorship isn't necessarily a requirement for companies. That being said, the reception has been very good and I'm optimistic."

The tight situation with no clear guarantee at the moment has been a signal for many riders to look to secure their professional future elsewhere - something that has not been met with great understanding of the team's managment:

"We work with complete transparency, as has always been the case in this team, which places paramount importance on the human element. The key word is trust. Trust that we hope is reciprocated. It's important that everyone believes in the project."

"If Jordan trusts us, Stéphane Heulot and me, he'll be at the Tour de France; if he doesn't respect this rule, he won't go," team CEO Jean-René Bernaudeau stated firmly regarding the possible Tour de France selection of their star rider. "Jordan won't be worth any less on August 1st than he is now. I don't care about the pressure from agents."

"We, of course, have a much broader perspective than just a rider. There are around a hundred jobs involved, but also a whole history, values, and an entire structure that Jean-René has built up over nearly 30 years. We don't want to sell our soul, as Jean-René often says, and I completely agree with that."

Heulot further highlights, that the non-selection is not a threat, but rather a simple rule employed at a key moment when the team's future could depend on the smallest of the decisions.

"It's not a threat, it's simply a fact. It's true that we're operating within the framework of defending what we believe is legitimate. There are riders who are in the spotlight, and that's great; it's an opportunity for them to attract the attention of other teams. The cycling ecosystem has changed."

The Tour Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes is heavily implied to be a key test for the riders battling for Tour de France selection. Regarding how many of the participants (Jordan Jegat, Geoffrey Bouchard, Nicolas Breuillard, Mathieu Burgaudeau, Thibault Guernalec, Mathis Le Berre and Matteo Vercher) will be at the starting line in Barcelona next month could indicate to us a lot about the team's roster for 2027 too.