06/01/2023

Audrey Cordon-Ragot recalls B&B Hotels-KTM's deception: "For two months, we were pushed around"

At B&B Hotels-KTM, Audrey Cordon-Ragot was meant to lead the women's team but the team ultimately collapsed and she had to join another team. The Frenchwoman reflects on how management deceived the riders with false promises for an extended period of time before the truth was revealed.

"It's a crazy story. I still can't believe it," Cordon-Ragot told Le Télégramme. She continues, "For two months, we were pushed around. As far as lies go, that's on an elite level. I'm still trying to find explanations: was it a vicious circle, a spiral, a descent into hell where you lie once, then a second time, then a third time and you end up convincing yourself of your lies?"

As part of the development of a women's team at B&B Hotels-KTM, Cordon-Ragot was one of the first members. "I was in on the secret, it gave me confidence, and I embraced the project like never before. At the same time as I was preparing for the Tour de France – I took care of recruiting the riders and staff with one of my friends and future coach," said the Frenchwoman.

Until October, everything was going smoothly for Cordon-Ragot. However, she began to hear less from the team's management and the team presentation was eventually cancelled. Despite these red flags, her trust was not yet completely shattered. It wasn't until the first week of December that she learned of the team's collapse.

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Saddened to learn of the collapse of the B&B Hotels-KTM after investing a significant amount of time, energy, and emotion into the project. "I am extremely disappointed, extremely saddened. It calls into question the trust I can give to people. It makes me a bit withdrawn, which is not like me. This story has impacted me enormously,” said the Frenchwoman.

Ultimately, She had to join the Zaaf Cycling Team in order to continue her career. However, she wishes that things could have been different and that she could have achieved more if the management had been more transparent with her from the beginning. "I feel more pity. The trust is gone. They tried to save a project that was no longer a project. In the end, we all felt like we were taken hostage,” concluded Cordon-Ragot.