Cofidis' top rider will be removed from the Tour de France after signing with Team Visma | Lease a Bike
CyclingThursday, 20 June 2024 at 09:02
A story reminiscent of the 2000's. It is not unheard of in modern cycling but it is a very unusual story. Axel Zingle of Cofidis is set to join Team Visma | Lease a Bike for 2025 and because of this the team is said to be punishing him by removing him from the Tour de France list.
At 25 years of age, Zingle is one of the most prominent classics riders in the French scene, having led the French cup for some time this year and being one of the most successful as well. The French rider made his debut at the Tour de France last year after winning the Classic Loire Atlantique and finishing among the first in many other races, and this year he has taken another step.
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Zingle is currently 61st in the UCI Rankings and is the best placed rider out of everyone in the team. This comes as a result of his consistent string of results including a second place at the Tour de la Provence, Lotto Famenne Ardenne Classic, GP du Morbihan, Circuit de Wallonie, Circuit Franco-Belge and victory at the Boucles de l'Aulne, among other results. Currently, he is training at altitude, preparing for the national championships - where he will be a big favourite - and the Tour de France.
But the Tour is anything but assured, and according to France's L'Equipe Zingle will be pulled out from the Tour unless he wins the national championships in France. Naturally, with the country's colours on his chest and great form, Zingle would be an obvious choice for Cofidis and perhaps even their best chance of taking success. But if he does not win, it seems like he will be left at home in July as a consequence for not staying in the team.
L'Équipe reports that Bahrain-Victorious, Movistar, Soudal Quick-Step, UAE Team Emirates and INEOS Grenadiers all looked to sign the rider, but Visma ultimately has already agreed on a three-year deal which will be public once the transfer season begins.
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- Chapeau XDS Astana Team 🫡
James2631805-05-2025 - If anyone still thinks the UCI is a good thing for cycling, I wonder what evidence would be sufficient for convincing them otherwise?acem8205-05-2025
- Yes, the UCI is great at preventing efficient bicycles from getting market traction. What a great service they provide!acem8205-05-2025
- He didn't have the legs to stay with the top guys in case you hadn't read that !frieders305-05-2025
- Of course the dimensions have to be checked as long as pro cycling continues to be defined by a traditional bicycle definition, otherwise you open the door to all sorts of weird vehicles, like recumbants to keep the technical side easy. Obviously there can ve a completely different procedure for the check than how it was carried out here. If all went according to how reported, the team/rider should sue the official/UCI for result manipulation, this incident shows among other things, how the door is (left) wide open to corrupting officials to disadvantage people. Would be so easy to do those checks well without stressing riders. Maybe the triathlon system would be a solution ?Mistermaumau04-05-2025
- Agreed! I had forgotten about that moment, a rare misfire by UAE.RidesHills04-05-2025
- The UCI thinks that all of these formalities make it look like they're in control of things, but incidents like this one actually make them look like bumbling, incompetent fools.
santiagobenites04-05-2025 - He's one of the nicest and most humble guys at the top of the sport. Perhaps should have won another stage race already this year but for questionable UAE tactics when Buitrago got away and stole GC.Renz04-05-2025
- Completely Stupid decision yesterday of trying to help his teammateabstractengineer04-05-2025
- What a solid season he has had so far. I wasn’t really noticing bust just checked his stats. He has done only GC races, and placed 2-2-6-1-1 in them. Every single one in the top 10, and only one off the podium? That is solid work. Would have been nice to win yesterday, of course, (a solid climbing stage) but it set him up for today’s GC win. Congrats.RidesHills04-05-2025
A bit like your wife not letting you in bed because she knows you’re running off with someone else ;-)
C’mon guys, it’s not that dramatic
Maybe there’s too much musical chairs going on anyway, maybe the top teams are doping the market, maybe something needs to be done to dissuade too much of this. How about an obligatory year sabbatical between teams.
Well with a bit of a difference; When you are getting married it is for life. When sign an employment contract the intention is not for life since there are normally notice periods in the contract. And when you sign up with a team it is normally for a defined period.
This decision is nothing but petty spitefulness, and Axel Zingle should consider himself fortunate to be getting out of a team that operates like that.
Cofidis seriously needs to earn some points if they want to stay as a World Tour Team. That would suggest they should take whoever is strongest and has the best chances. Not shun riders who are leaving.
Seems like Movistar might be playing the same game with Lazkano at the TdF
The stupidity of not selecting your top rider because he is leaving