"Two teams, Jumbo-Visma and UAE Team Emirates are suffocating the rest" according to Cofidis boss Cédric Vasseur

Undoubtedly, the peloton is split into different levels of teams. According to Cofidis boss Cédric Vasseur, the success of the likes of Jumbo-Visma and UAE Team Emirates is stifling any potential growth of the smaller teams.

"When we analyse the circuit today, there are two teams, Jumbo-Visma and UAE Team Emirates, which are suffocating the rest of the peloton," Vasseur tells Cyclism'Actu in a yearly review of his Cofidis' team's performances. "If you look at the Vuelta, it's been ages since a team went 1-2-3, relegating the other teams to the status of cycle-tourists. In a context like that, it's not always easy to come out on top."

Nevertheless, Cofidis did manage some success, most notably at the 2023 Tour de France where, through Victor Lafay and Ion Izagirre, the team took home a pair of stage wins from their biggest race of the year.

"We did our best, even if we perhaps slowed down a bit after the Tour de France," Vasseur reviews. "But a lot of teams would like to be in Cofidis' shoes when it comes to taking stock. For me, it's a pivotal season: it's the culmination of all the years of work and it puts Cofidis back in the limelight with these Tour de France victories."