'Too expensive to defend himself' - French World Tour retires as he gives up battle against doping suspension

Super-combative of the 2021 Tour de France and one of the most aggressive riders in the peloton started the 2024 season in Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale but ended with retirement. The French rider was suspended for suspicions of doping earlier in the year and is financially incapable of defending himself beyond the current time.

Franck Bonnamour had at Pro Continental level with teams such as Arkéa and the disbanded B&B Hotels team in 2022, after the French team's end in that season he finally took the step to World Tour level with Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale. He proved to be a quality classics rider but also valuable domestique at times.

However all of this was put into question in February, only weeks after finishing the Tour Down Under. There were abnormalities in his biological passport and so this led to a suspension. Reportedly, the firing of team boss Vincent Lavenu also came as a consequence of the case, as the manager did not inform other entities in proper time leading to insatisfaction.

Bonnamour has spent the large part of this year trying to prove his case but is now forced to give up as it is too much of a financial effort: "It is too costly in financial terms, I am stopping. I can't afford to lose everything and I'm financially blocked," he has told Ouest-France. "It's been difficult for six months, I didn't want it to last two years, three years like this. My priority is to maintain a family balance. Morally, there are difficult times, I am supported by my family and I am also being followed psychologically. I am afraid of the future. I know what I did, what I didn't do".