Earlier this year there was speculation that AG2R Citroën, the French cycling team, would bid farewell to current bike sponsor BMC to ride Decathlon’s Van Rysel bikes for the 2024 season. We spotted the new Van Rysel RCR bikes on the Decathlon website last week, and it was confirmed to road.cc at Sea Otter Europe that AG2R will indeed be using the RCR – and almost certainly the RCR Pro model – from next year.
Last week, we noticed a sneaky promotional video of the new RCR (which stands for ‘racer’) road bike range, and Van Rysel officially announced the launch of the RCR Pro on its Instagram account last Friday.
The RCR has a strong aero focus and there are two carbon layups, the RCR Pro and RCR. The RCR Pro is the top-tier model and the lighter of the two, with the frame expected to weigh 790g, whereas the RCR frame is said to weigh 830g.
AG2R will undoubtedly opt for the Pro version next season, which Van Rysel says is designed for winning races by “combining aerodynamics, lightness and stiffness.”
While the sporting goods giant hasn’t been associated with the World Tour for a generation, this won’t be the first time we’ve seen a bike from Decathlon in the pro peloton. Back in the early 2000s, Jaan Kirsipuu, riding for the AG2R team, secured a Tour de France stage victory while riding a Decathlon Penta Pro.
If this is indeed the bike they’ll be riding, then it means that Campagnolo may no longer be represented in the World Tour peloton for the first time since 2012. Another big change for the AG2R team next year is that Citroën will not continue as a sponsor in 2024.
> Your complete guide to Shimano road bike groupsets
There will be two tiers of the RCR frameset, the RCR Pro and the RCR. The RCR Pro will be available with SRAM Red AXS or Shimano Ultegra Di2, and the RCR is available with SRAM Force AXS or SRAM Rival AXS.
One model is currently listed on the Decathlon UK site, the RCR Rival AXS, which is priced at £4,299.99. More build options are expected to be coming soon, and there is already an RCR Pro with SRAM Rival listed on the Spanish Decathlon website.
A full UK price list and release dates for the RCR Pro are expected to follow soon.
The bikes are equipped with Deda and Fizik finishing kit, and a rather respectable overall spec, especially when you consider that their pricing is significantly less than the figures associated with some of the very best road bikes in today’s market.
Here’s the full spec list (with prices mostly in euros for now):
RCR Pro Red AXS Power – €8,500
Frame: RCR Pro
Groupset: SRAM Red
Wheels: Zipp 454 NSW
Tyres: Michelin Power Cup
Handlebar: Deda Superzero RS
Stem: Deda Superbox EVO
Saddle: Fizik Argo
RCR Pro Ultegra Di2 – €5,500
Frame: RCR Pro
Groupset: Shimano Ultegra Di2
Wheels: Shimano Ultegra C36
Tyres: Michelin Power Cup
Handlebar: Deda Superzero RS
Stem: Deda Superbox EVO
Saddle: Fizik Antares
Weight: 7.2kg in M
RCR Force AXS Power – €4,800 (£4,300 on UK site)
Frame: RCR
Groupset: SRAM Force AXS
Wheels: Zipp 404 Firecrest
Tyres: Michelin Power Cup
Handlebar: Deda Superzero RS
Stem: Deda Superbox EVO
Saddle: Fizik Antares
Weight: 7.6 kg in size M
RCR Rival AXS Power – €4,200
Frame: RCR
Groupset: SRAM Rival AXS
Wheels: Zipp 303s
Tyres: Michelin Power Cup
Handlebar: Deda Superzero RS
Stem: Deda Superbox EVO
Saddle: Fizik Antares
Weight: 8.1kg in M
For more information head to Decathlon’s website.
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7 thoughts on “Confirmed: AG2R Citroën will ride Decathlon’s Van Rysel bikes in 2024, plus more details + pics of all new road racers”
Wow this looks so, so, so
Wow this looks so, so, so unoriginal.
mrmusette wrote:
What were you expecting, three wheels and flat bars? The racing bicycle has more or less reached peak evolution as far as I can see and the only “original” things that can be added are cosmetic tweaks that pretty much make no difference, whatever the manufacturers claim (see the Madone with the hole in it etc). It looks very pretty to me and if I were in the market for an Ultegra Di2 bike with good wheels (having previously owned one of the Btwins raced by the AG2R development team and the French u-19s with pretty much the same spec, albeit the 2014 version) I’d definitely go for this at under £5000 than a £12,000+ job.
You have to admit it does
You have to admit it does look a bit if a downer with the matte black and plain text logo. It’s inherently not an ugly thing though, it just needs a bright glossy red coat of paint and better logo typography.
If looking something original
If looking something original costs 50-100% more than something equivalent or with minimal differences, I can be really happy living as a boring dude.
Decathlon has very reasonable prices and is good to have companies that can prove that you don’t need to charge a lot for a bike.
Have you given our bike quiz
Have you given our bike quiz a go?https://youtu.be/33nbocvAcNo?si=bK0Fd_AisZJPPp-T
Does this mean decathlon is
Does this mean decathlon is going to get expensive or will other bikes become cheaper…?
I hope their Michelin Power
I hope their Michelin Power Cup tyres are more resilient than mine – fitted in June and already I’m seeking a warranty replacement!