Festina (cycling team)
Festina is a former professional cycling team that was active in the professional peloton from 1989 to 2001. The team was sponsored by Spanish watch manufacturers Festina.
 The Festina–Lotus at the 1993 Paris–Nice | ||
| Team information | ||
|---|---|---|
| UCI code | FES | |
| Registered | Spain (1989–1992) Andorra (1993–1994, 1996) France (1995, 1997–2001) | |
| Founded | 1989 | |
| Disbanded | 2001 | |
| Discipline(s) | Road | |
| Key personnel | ||
| General manager | Miguel Moreno Cachinero (1989–1993) Bruno Roussel (1994–1998) Juan Fernández Martín (1999–2001) | |
| Team name history | ||
1989 1990–1992 1993–1999 2000–2001 | Lotus–Zahor Lotus–Festina Festina–Lotus Festina | |
| ||
History
Beginnings
The team first appeared as Lotus-Zahor but the following year, 1990, the team became Lotus-Festina. In 1993, the team became Festina-Lotus which it was known by until 2000. The team was a Spanish team from 1989 to 1992. Then the team was based in Andorra in 1993 and 1994. In 1995, the team became French-based from which it would stay until the team retired from the peloton, with the sole exception of 1996.
In 1991, the team signed the Portuguese cyclist Acacio Da Silva who would not win the sprints classification in that year’s Vuelta a España.[1]
The team signed Sean Kelly in 1992 who won Milan–San Remo, the first Classic victory for the team.[2] The team entered its first Tour de France in 1992. The team manager and directeur sportifs at this time included Miguel Moreno Cachinero and Carlos Machin Rodriguez but Bruno Roussel joined the team in 1993 and would lead the team during its most successful years. Richard Virenque joined the team in 1993.[3] The following year the team challenged Miguel Indurain in the 1994 Tour de France whereby teammates Luc Leblanc and Richard Virenque finished the race 4th and 5th overall and Festina won the team classification. Over the following years, Festina would be present in the Tour de France with Virenque finishing the race 3rd overall in 1996 and second overall in 1997.
Festina Doping Scandal
Virenque was a favourite in the 1998 Tour de France but after team soigneur Willy Voet was caught by France-Belgium border officials with large quantities of doping products in his Festina team car, all members of the 1998 Tour team including the World Champion Laurent Brochard and Christophe Moreau were arrested and seven admitted to taking EPO[4] and were ejected from the race.[5] Team doctor Eric Rijkaert was also arrested. Rijkaert was team doctor from 1993 to 1998. Laurent Brochard, Christophe Moreau and Didier Rous confessed and were served a six-month suspension before returning to racing[6] whereas Richard Virenque did not confess, releasing a book called Ma Vérité where he denied using doping products. However, on 24 October 2000, Virenque finally confessed and was handed a suspension.[7] The team doctor that was at the heart of the scandal, Eric Rijkaert, released a book in 2000 about the affair and discussing doping in the sport called De Zaak Festina.[8]
Post Festina affair
Due to these doping scandals, the team reorganised itself and sponsor Festina set up the Fondation d’Entreprise Festina which aimed to promote any actions that prevent doping taking place that are undertaken by institutions or individuals.[9] After the Festina Affair Juna Fernadez Martin, Yvon Sanquer, Michel Gros, Roberto Torres Toledano, Jacky Lachevere and Gerald Rue directed the team in its final years. The team achieved 3rd and 4th overall in the 2000 Tour de France with Joseba Beloki and Christophe Moreau and won the 2001 Vuelta a España with Angel Casero before retiring from the sport at the end of the 2001 season. The sponsor Festina continued in professional cycling for many years more by being the official timekeeper at the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia, the Vuelta a España and several other stage-races.
Major wins
- 1989
- Stage 6 Vuelta a España, Luc Suykerbuyk
- Criterium Bavel, Luc Suykerbuyk
- 1990
- Route Adélie de Vitré, Roberto Torres
- 1991
- Giro del Veneto, Roberto Pagnin
- Stage 2 Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, Mathieu Hermans
- 1992
- Milan–San Remo, Sean Kelly
- Trofeo Luis Puig, Sean Kelly
- Stage 3 Vuelta a Aragon, Andrei Zubov
- Stage 13 Vuelta a Espana, Roberto Torres
- Stage 10 Giro d'Italia, Roberto Pagnin
- Stage 7 Tour de Suisse, Sean Kelly
- Stage 9 Tour de Suisse, Roberto Pagnin
- Giro del Lago Maggiore, Thomas Wegmüller
- Circuito de Getxo, Mathieu Hermans
- 1993
- Stages 4 & 8 Vuelta a España, Jean-Paul Van Poppel
- Stage 14, Tour de France, Pascal Lino
- Stage 3 Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, Jean-Paul Van Poppel
- Profronde van Oostvoorne, Gert Jakobs
- Stage 2 Tour du Poitou Charentes et de la Vienne, Thierry Marie
- Criterium Ulvenhout, Sean Kelly
- 1994
- Ronde van Boxmeer, Jean-Paul Van Poppel
- Etoile de Bessèges, Jean-Paul Van Poppel
- Ronde van Pijnacker, Jean-Paul Van Poppel
- Stage 9 Vuelta a España, Jean-Paul Van Poppel
- Stage 5 Critérium du Dauphiné, Pascal Herve
- Stage 2, Jean-Paul Van Poppel
- Stage 11, Luc Leblanc
- Stage 12, Richard Virenque
- World Road Race Championships, Luc Leblanc
- Boucles de l'Aulne, Richard Virenque
- Trophée des Grimpeurs - Polymultipliée, Richard Virenque
- 1995
- La Poly Normande, Richard Virenque
- Gent-Wevelgem, Lars Michaelsen
- Stages 4 & 6 Critérium du Dauphiné, Richard Virenque
- Stages 7 Critérium du Dauphiné, Fabian Jeker
- Stage 15, Richard Virenque
- 1996
- Overall Vuelta Ciclista de Chile, Christophe Moreau
- Boucle de l'Artois, Jean-Miche Thilloy
- Escalada a Montjuic, Fabian Jeker
- La Poly Normande, Laurent Brochard
- Stage 7 Paris–Nice, Bruno Boscardin
- Stage 6 Giro d'Italia Pascal Herve
- Stage 4 Critérium du Dauphiné, Richard Virenque
- Stages 17 & 19, Laurent Dufaux
- Giro del Piemonte, Richard Virenque
- 1997
- Overall Vuelta Ciclista de Chile, Patrice Halgand
- La Poly Normande, Richard Virenque
- Prueba Villafranca de Ordizia, Laurent Lefevre
- GP d'Ouverture La Marseillaise, Richard Virenque
- Stage 7 Giro d'Italia, Marcel Wüst
- Stage 9, Laurent Brochard
- Stage 14, Richard Virenque
- Stage 17, Anthony Neil Stephens
- Stage 18, Didier Rous
- Coppa Bernocchi, Gianluca Bortolami
- Stages 2, 3 & 5 Vuelta a España, Marcel Wüst
- World Road Race Championships, Laurent Brochard
- Giro del Piemonte, Gianluca Bortolami
- 1998
- Overall Vuelta Ciclista de Chile, Marcel Wüst
- Grand Prix du Midi Libre, Laurent Dufaux
- Escalada a Montjuic, Fabian Jeker
- GP Chiasso, Gianluca Bortolami
- Stage 5b Setmana Catalana de Ciclisme, Alex Zuelle
- Stage 3 Critérium International, Christophe Moreau
- Stage 3 Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco, Pascal Herve
- Trophée des Grimpeurs - Polymultipliée, Pascal Herve
- Prologue, Stages 1 & 3, Laurent Dufaux
- Stage 4b, Alex Zuelle
- Prologue, Stages 6 & 15 Giro d'Italia, Alex Zuelle
- Circuito de Getxo, Marcel Wüst
- Stage 6 Critérium du Dauphiné, Richard Virenque
- GP Ouest France-Plouay, Pascal Herve
- Stages 14 & 17 Vuelta a España, Marcel Wüst
- Stage 21 Vuelta a España, Alex Zuelle
- 1999
- A Travers le Morbihan, Patrice Halgand
- Stage 1 Setmana Catalana de Ciclisme, Marcel Wüst
- Grand Prix de Plumelec-Morbihan, Patrice Halgand
- Stage 5 Critérium du Dauphiné, Laurent Madouas
- Stage 4, Christophe Moreau
- Stages 4, 5, 6 & 7 Vuelta a España, Marcel Wüst
- Stage 9, Vuelta a España, Laurent Brochard
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- 2000
- Profronde van Surhuisterveen, Marcel Wüst
- Escalada a Montjuic, Fabian Jeker
- Stage 3b Tour de Romandie, Joseba Beloki
- Stage 6, Marcel Wüst
- Stage 7, David Plaza Romero
- Stage 3 Tour de Suisse, Wladimir Belli
- Stage 5 Tour de France, Marcel Wüst
- GP Città di Camaiore, Wladimir Belli
- Stage 5 Tour du Poitou Charentes et de la Vienne, Stéphane Auge
- 2001
- Overall Vuelta Ciclista de Chile, David Plaza Romero
- Stage 2 Etoile de Bessèges, Steffen Radochla
- Stage 5 Etoile de Bessèges, Florent Brard
- Cholet - Pays De Loire, Florent Brard
- Stage 3 Tour de Romandie, David Plaza Romero
- Prologue Tour de France, Christophe Moreau
- Prueba Villafranca de Ordizia, David Clinger
- Paris-Bourges, Florent Brard
Notable riders
- Acacio Da Silva
- Sean Kelly
- Abraham Olano
- Steven Rooks
- Richard Virenque
- Jean-Paul van Poppel
- Thierry Marie
- Pascal Lino
- Luc Leblanc
- Lars Michaelsen
- Laurent Brochard
- Emmanuel Magnien
- Christophe Bassons
- Patrice Halgand
- Christophe Moreau
- Didier Rous
- Anthony Neil Stephens
- Marcel Wüst
- Joseba Beloki
- Angel Casero
- Alex Zülle
References
- "History Vuelta 1991". la vuelta .com. Archived from the original on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2007.
- "Lotus-Festina 1992". the cycling website.net. Archived from the original on 20 June 2010. Retrieved 27 October 2007.
- "Festina-Lotus 1993". cyclebase.nl. Retrieved 27 October 2007.
- "Tour riders down wheels over drug use". London independent. Archived from the original on 11 May 2009. Retrieved 28 July 2007.
- "A hint of doping at Tour de France". Herald Tribune. Archived from the original on 20 February 2008. Retrieved 19 July 2007.
- "Dopage 2". Humanite. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 29 July 2007.
- "Richard Virenque - sa vérité!". Dopage free cyclisme. Retrieved 27 October 2007.
- De Zaak Festina
- "Sponsorship cycling". Archived from the original on 24 October 2007. Retrieved 27 October 2007.
External links
