Veteran Frenchman back on French team after two years with RadioShack
After two years spent as the lone native French speaker on the American team Radioshack, Geoffroy Lequatre moves back to a French team for 2012, as he becomes one of the team leaders for professional continental outfit Bretagne-Schuller.
In a volatile transfer market during the offseason, given the collapse of several teams and the merger of Radioshack and Leopard-Trek, Lequatre was one of many who found themselves on the outside looking in as 2011 wound down. When the current management at Bretagne-Schuller came calling, management who had worked with Lequatre in the French team Agritubel, he was happy to join up.
“The end of the season was a bit tricky for me with the merger of Radioshack and Leopard-Trek,” the Frenchman explained in an interview with sportbreizh.com. “I learned during the Vuelta a España in September that I would not be kept by the team. It was then quite difficult to find a team even though I was in contact with several teams.
“Manu Hubert, who I knew along with Dominique Moyon during my time at Agritubel approached me and said, ‘if you have the confidence, it could be with us.’ So I came to an agreement with Bretagne-Schuller.”
Lequatre insisted – in spite of what might be thought – that the contrast between teams like Radioshack and Bretagne-Schuller may not be vast.
“I don’t think you can compare them, as each has its own operating system,” he explained. “I was raised in French teams where I learned a lot, and I had my share of beautiful things, but also bad things. In every situation, there are both positive and negative aspects.”
When asked how he would take on the leadership role and use his ProTour experience as a tool in the young Bretagne-Schuller squad, Lequatre stated that he was already somewhat of a leader at Radioshack.
“That was already the model at Radioshack,” he added regarding his leadership role. “I was given the role as a bit of a road captain and I had to lead the way and protect my leaders. On the other hand, at Bretagne-Schuller, I will also have this leadership role, but I’ll know how to take my own chances when necessary.”
On a smaller team, Lequatre expects a lighter racing program, and he mentioned that he would like one of his peak points to be the Critérium International, which the French team raced last year. Ultimately, the 2008 Tour of Britain champion would like to get back to the top step of the podium.
“I think we will expect big things at our biggest races, so to speak,” Lequatre said. “I also want to learn to win again, as I haven’t [done that] since Agritubel. Yes I’ve performed well – but no victories – so that will be my challenge for this season, winning races and also bringing knowledge to my team.”