Buchmann extends contract with Cofidis

It could be the final years of his cycling career: Emanuel Buchmann has extended his contract with his employer Cofidis by two years up to and including 2027, as the French internet portal lequipe.fr first reported and the team later officially confirmed. The professional cyclist will celebrate his 33rd birthday next November. His greatest success was in 2019, when he finished fourth overall in the Tour de France. He initially moved to Cofidis in France for a year for the 2025 season. Despite little success last year, the management there continues to back the climbing specialist from Ravensburg. At the end of 2024, the Upper Swabian left Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe, where he had previously spent his entire career as a professional cyclist since 2015, in a dispute. However, the two-time German champion was never able to come close to his most successful year in 2019.

>> The Look 795 Blade RS from Emanuel Buchmann

Relegation from the World Tour?

Cofidis also extended the contracts with the Spaniard Ion Izagirre and the Frenchman Nicolas Debeaumarché. However, the team faces an uncertain future. The team could be threatened with relegation from the World Tour, in which case starts in the most important races of the year are no longer guaranteed. Only the top 18 teams in the rankings with results from 2023 to 2025 will receive a licence. Cofidis, currently 20th in the rankings, is in danger of being ousted by the up-and-coming Norwegian team Uno-X after a weak season.

However, the best future second-tier Pro teams are also eligible to start. In addition, the Tour de France organiser has considered almost all second-tier teams based in France in recent years - regardless of rankings.

Following its continued failure, the French racing team will start the 2026 season with new management. Long-standing team manager Cédric Vasseur had to leave. His successor is compatriot Raphael Jeune, who most recently worked for bike manufacturer Look.