Europcar to withdraw backing of World Tour team

Vehicle rental company Europcar has confirmed it will withdraw from its title sponsorship of French UCI World Tour cycling outfit Team Europcar when its current agreement expires at the end of the 2015 season.

Europcar first partnered with Jean-Rene Bernaudeau’s team in 2011, replacing Bouygues Telecom, and it signed a two-year extension to the deal in July 2013.

“We are preparing our fifth year of partnership alongside Bernaudeau’s team and we will be keen to show our support throughout the 2015 season as we did for four years now,” Europcar international communications director, Nathalie Poujol ,told the AFP news agency.

“We wanted to communicate our decision as soon as possible to the team to facilitate its search for a new partner.”

Team Europcar, which boasts four-time Tour de France stage-winner Thomas Voeckler among its roster, is one of three French squads in the 17-team UCI first division alongside Ag2r-La Mondiale and FDJ.