The departure of Peter Sagan also marks the end of the partnership between Team TotalEnergies and Specialized. The Slovakian superstar brought the US bike manufacturer to the French second-division team in 2022. The situation was similar at Bora-Hansgrohe in 2017, when Sagan came from the Tinkoff team in a package with Specialized.
Enve also active with UAE Team Emirates
TotalEnergies has now found a replacement in Enve. The company is based in Utah in the USA and is a subsidiary of the Finnish sports equipment manufacturer Amer Sports, which in turn belongs to the Anta Sports Group from China. The bike and component manufacturer Enve already equips UAE Team Emirates, Tadej Pogacar's team, with cockpits and wheels. Eolo-Kometa, the team of Alberto Contador and Ivan Basso, also uses Enve, which from 2024 Polti-Kometa means wheels from Enve. These partnerships are set to continue in the coming year.
How the Enve Melee fared in the TOUR test
TotalEnergies is provided with the Enve Melee, which TOUR has already tested extensively. It is equipped with SES wheels. The 2.3, 3.4, 4.5 and 6.7 models are available to riders. When it comes to the cockpit, pros can choose between a one- or two-piece SES Aero Road Bar or SES AR Bar. The frame of the Melee weighed just under 1000 grams on the TOUR scales during the test, which means that the new TotalEnergies road bikes are likely to come close to the UCI's minimum weight limit of 6.8 kilograms. In terms of aerodynamics, the Melee performed better than many all-rounders from other major manufacturers, but does not come close to aero specialists, which is not the bike's claim.
There is still no detailed information about the design of the new racing bikes of manager Jean-Rene Bernaudeau's team. Nor is it yet known which bikes the riders will be using in the time trials, for example.
TotalEnergies: Weak sporting performance in 2023
TotalEnergies belongs to the UCI Pro Teams, the second division of cycling, and therefore has no automatic right to start in World Tour races such as the Tour de France. In recent years, however, the team has always received a wildcard from the organiser A.S.O..
In sporting terms, the past season did not go well for the team. Only eight wins were achieved. For a team with a budget of 13 million euros far too little. The most significant success was achieved by 35-year-old Geoffrey Soupe on stage 7 of the Vuelta a Espana. Peter Sagan, the main attraction, disappointed and did not contribute a single victory.
Following the departure of the Slovakian, TotalEnergies is once again facing a radical change. With Maciej Bodnar and Daniel Oss (both retiring), two more experienced professionals are leaving the team. Baptiste Vadic, Lucas Boniface, Thomas Gachignard and Jordan Jegat are set to strengthen the squad. It remains to be seen whether they will bring more victories on the new Enve racing bikes in 2024.
