The 2025 season would be the final for the Belgian ProTeam Wagner Bazin WB after 15 years within the peloton, La Dernière Heure reported on Friday in an interview with normal supervisor Christophe Brandt.
Brandt revealed that title sponsor Philippe Wagner, proprietor of the eponymous charcuterie firm, didn’t lengthen the crew’s contract, and a seek for a substitute got here up empty.
“I continued to search for sponsors for a number of weeks, and I used to be even in superior negotiations with some corporations, significantly on-line betting corporations. However there have been all the time obstacles,” Brandt stated.
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The crew started in 2011 as Wallonie Bruxelles-Credit score Agricole, and along with assist from the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, had sponsors similar to Group Defend, Veranclassic, Bingoal, and Pauwels Sauces earlier than being saved from the brink of extinction by Philippe Wagner final 12 months.
“It hurts, in fact,” Brandt stated of the crew’s finish. “I took monumental pleasure on this challenge. We lived some nice moments, particularly between 2017 and 2023, once we actually stood out in races with quick guys like [Timothy] Dupont or [Baptiste] Planckaert.
“Practically 40 riders moved as much as the following stage due to our construction for supporting younger riders. That has all the time been our punchline when going to see a sponsor: we aren’t the largest crew, however we’re a bridge to the best stage. I feel we might make a dwelling from it. However the previous couple of years have been extra sophisticated.”
Brandt rapidly came upon that Wagner anticipated to be extra immediately concerned with the crew than different sponsors and have become dissatisfied when the crew failed to realize outcomes.
The crew’s solely 2025 victory got here in January when Quentin Bezza gained stage 3 of the Tour of Sharjah. Within the busy Spring Classics interval, the state of affairs declined.
“Although we had some good riders, who I’m satisfied have the potential to grow to be profitable professionals, it was tough to realize outcomes instantly,” Brandt stated.
“The one approach to make a mark was to go in breakaways. And this didn’t please Philippe Wagner, who rapidly identified this lack of ambition and outcomes, typically by way of the press.”
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The crew’s morale took successful when the outcomes did not come, and that led to a spiral the place riders had been reluctant to battle for place within the peloton.
“In latest months, we might really feel that our riders had been afraid to place themselves on the entrance of the peloton as a result of ‘that is the World Tour’s place.’ A phrase I discover onerous to listen to,” Brandt stated. “We lacked a aggressive spirit.”
In keeping with Brandt, he realized in June that Wagner was busy constructing his personal crew. “He even contacted a few of our contracted riders in order that they’d be part of his new crew.
“I ought to have stopped the crew final 12 months and never introduced individuals alongside on this sophisticated 2025 season. What disappoints me essentially the most is that.”
