History
The team was created in 1978 after the Renault auto group purchased the Gitane bicycle manufacturer and became the main sponsor of the Gitane-Campagnolo cycling team that was directed by former French cycling champion Cyrille Guimard and contained the promising young cyclist Bernard Hinault. From 1978 to 1980 the team was Renault-Gitane but then from 1981 to 1985 the team was Renault-Elf. Elf being an oil company that was owned by the Renault auto group. During this time the team with Bernard Hinault dominated the sport from 1978 to 1983 with four wins in the Tour de France, two wins in the Vuelta a España and two wins in the Giro d'Italia. Hinault won several smaller stage races as well as one day races which included Liège–Bastogne–Liège, Paris–Roubaix, Giro di Lombardia, the Amstel Gold Race and the 1981 World Cycling Championships. Guimard signed several American riders which included future Tour de France winner Greg LeMond. LeMond made an immediate impression with his third place finish behind Hinault in the 1981 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré. Hinault left the team at the end of 1983 after Renault-Elf team mate Laurent Fignon took over the designated team leader after winning the 1983 Tour de France. Greg LeMond added to the team's laurels by winning the 1983 World Championship. The following year Fignon finished high in the Giro d'Italia, and then went on to become the 1984 French National Champion and winner of the 1984 Tour de France. The dominance of the team began to wane in 1985, with Fignon suffering from persistent knee injury and rising star Greg LeMond leaving the team for Hinault's La Vie Claire team. The highlight of the 1985 season was Marc Madiot’s win in the cobbled classic Paris–Roubaix.
After the 1985 season, the Renault auto group retired from sponsoring in the peloton and the French supermarket Système U became the main sponsor of Guimard’s team. The team continued to ride on Gitane bicycle frames, who were co-sponsors for the Système U-Gitane cycling team.
Read more about this topic: Renault-Elf-Gitane
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