FDJ - SUEZ boss Stephen Delcourt finds rumours of their talks with Demi Vollering ridiculous: "Do you think it’s possible?"
Cycling
Apparently, the €1 million offer by UAE Team ADQ for Demi Vollering is off the table, while Lidl-Trek also seem to have withdrawn from the battle over services of the Dutch champion. Meanwhile FDJ - SUEZ still remained in the mix. Team boss Stephen Delcourt now shed some light on the negotations with Vollering in a conversation with GCN.
The French team confirmed that both FDJ and SUEZ were on the cusp of signing new sponsorship deals with the team until the end of 2028. "We’re just working on the details now but I have all the confidence of my two partners and that’s really good for planning," said Delcourt.
"Many riders call me but at the moment there’s nothing. For the next three weeks maybe it’s busy but maybe nobody moves. My priorities are in the present though." The team has Grace Brown, Marta Cavalli, and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig out of contract at the end of the season. At least in case of Uttrup Ludwig, it seems clear that both sides are interested in continuation of their cooperation. "We want that, I think she wants that too."
Asked about possibility of signing Vollering, the manager laughs it off. "How’s that possible? We’re not Dutch, and with Lapierre. Do you think it’s possible? Maybe we can start the negotiations tomorrow... I don’t know but every team wants a Demi, every team wants a Juliette Labous, everyone wants an Elisa Longo Borghini."
However it seems there's a real interest in Juliette Labous who said she won't discuss her next contract until May. "If she’s already signed for another team then maybe I’m stupid. Juliet could be a priority, that’s normal. She’s French, she’s one of the only riders who can expect to win the Tour de France, and she made a step last year at the Giro with second overall. It could be really natural if we arrive, but if I’m dsm I extend now."
Read also
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- I see (elsewhere) that Alaphilippe had more to say than what got relayed in this stub. Me: he was very good early but his latter third trajectory was the pits. His old boss did what he could (huffed and puffed) but Julian couldn't get his greatness back. Sometimes I wonder if crashes that didn't look like much changed the course of the rider.flyer14-11-2026
- I wouldn't classify it as a gift because the nasty consequences of taking it from Sepp would have been great and would persist and he knew it.flyer14-11-2026
- Ok. Tratnik's good and Red Bull's better so Tratnik may get what he wants.flyer14-11-2026
- Ok. So just saying he wasn't enjoying racing anymore is some kind of explanation? Me saying I don't enjoy his explanation is more explaining than he did.flyer14-11-2026
- Buitrago, was he their best rider in 2026? He's the chief loss for them and Martinez and Tiberi (especially) have to step up or they will be overtaken by Bahrain's younger riders like Omrzel. I'm still somewhat high on Martinez but Tiberi, after showing signs of promise, has fizzled. Bahrain still has a good team but they need to improve and exceed expectations. I'd be happy if Mohoric could manage to return to his better form for maybe one last year at least.flyer14-11-2026
- Hmmm, "... I just gained 30 seconds purely off the bike. Because it's really a big, big improvement compared to the previous bike". Is that marketing for Specialized or serious valid hype, or something in between? Very likely the former.flyer14-11-2026
- Nothing revelatory or controversial. Why do we have to report on Bruyneel's or Armstrong's thinking. It's a shame and enough that the Move's on TV and that people watch it .flyer14-11-2026
- Makes sense that training from home is a big asset or advantage but it's still remarkable that he can put in three quality majors and not pay some heavy price for the exertion. I wish he would have won that tour stage that his crash while leading allowed Carapaz the win. He's a darn good rider and teammate.flyer14-11-2026
- Sounds like we all agree with the over under exaggeration: "The German’s signing does not guarantee that Evenepoel will win the Tour in 2027. "flyer14-11-2026
- Seixas appears to be that good but if he isn't (an absolute rival to Pogacar) he would have plenty of company in rising stars that did not go on to fully meet the expectations of many. That Pogacar wasn't the greatest (as great) sooner can't be transposed onto another's development. It may be not that simple.flyer14-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment