Renault-Elf-Gitane

Infobox Cycling team
teamname=Renault-Elf-Gitane


code=REN
base= FRA
founded=1978
disbanded=1985
manager=Cyrille Guimard
techdirector=
ds1 =
ds2 =
ds3 =
ds4 =
ds5 =
discipline=Road
Cyclo-cross
status=Retired
season =1978-1980
1981-1985
oldname = Renault-Gitane
Renault-Elf

Renault-Elf-Gitane was a French professional cycling team that was existed from 1978 to 1985 and which cycled on and promoted Gitane racing bikes.

History

The team was created in 1978 after the Renault auto group purchased the Gitane bicycle manufacturer and became the main sponsor of the Gitane-Campagnolo cycling team that was directed by former French cycling champion Cyrille Guimard and contained the promising young cyclist Bernard Hinault.cite web|url=http://www.gitaneusa.com/racing.asp|title=Racing|publisher=Gitane USA|accessdate=2007-11-09] From 1978 to 1980 the team was Renault-Gitane but then from 1981 to 1985 the team was Renault-Elf. Elf being an oil company that was owned by the Renault auto group.During this time the team with Bernard Hinault dominated the sport from 1978 to 1983 with four wins in the Tour de France, two wins in the Vuelta a España and two wins in the Giro d'Italia. Hinault won several smaller stage races as well as one day races which included Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Paris-Roubaix, Giro di Lombardia, the Amstel Gold Race and the 1981 World Cycling Championships. Guimard signed several American riders which included future Tour de France winner Greg LeMond. LeMond made an immediate impression with his third place finish behind Hinault in the 1981 Dauphiné Libéré. Hinault left the team at the end of 1983 after Renault-Elf team mate Laurent Fignon won the 1983 Tour de France and became the designated leader of the team. Also in 1983, LeMond became World road race champion. The following year, Fignon came very close to winning the Giro d'Italia, then became French cycling champion and won the 1984 Tour de France. The dominance of the team waned after 1984 when Greg LeMond signed with Hinault's new team La Vie Claire and Fignon started suffering from persistent knee injury. The highlight of the 1985 season was Marc Madiot’s win in the cobbled classic Paris-Roubaix. After the 1985 season, the Renault auto group retired from sponsoring in the peloton and the French supermarket Système U became the main sponsor of Guimard’s team that still rode on Gitane cycles making the Système U-Gitane cycling team.

Famous riders

*Bernard Hinault
*Marc Madiot
*Laurent Fignon
*Greg LeMond
*Charly Mottet
*Vincent Barteau
*Eric Boyer
*Thierry Marie

Important Victories

*Tour de France General Classification 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984
*Giro d'Italia General Classification 1979, 1980
*Vuelta a España General Classification 1978, 1983
*flagiconUCI World road race championship 1980, 1983
*FRA Road Race Championship 1978, 1979, 1980, 1984
*FRA Cyclo Cross Championships 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985
*LUX Road Race Championship 1978, 1979, 1980
*Liège-Bastogne-Liège 1980
*Paris-Roubaix 1981, 1985
*Amstel Gold Race 1981
*Giro di Lombardia 1979
*GP des Nations 1978, 1979, 1982, 1985
*Dauphiné Libéré General Classification 1979, 1981, 1983
*Tour de l'Avenir 1982, 1984

References