Equip cyclist the Life Claire

The Team cyclist the Life Claire , (become then team Toshiba) was a French team of professional cycling on road.

Beginning

In 1983, Bernard Hinault , annoyed with its sport director Cyrille Guimard decides to leave the team Renault-Gipsy. It is the Renault Control which announces it by press release on September 6th, 1983. Between Guimard and his promising starts-up (Fignon and Lemond) and Hinault convalescent, the sponsor thus decided to preserve the first.

Hinault leaves then to research a sponsor to assemble a new team. One evokes the real contractor Merlin then. But it is finally the French businessman Bernard Tapie which succeeded in convincing the Breton one. Hinault advertisement with the press at the end of the season, after the Grand Prix of the Nations 1983.

The 2 men thus will assemble a new cyclist team entirely dedicated to the cause of the French champion. Tapie sees the things into large by putting million on the table. It is then about a true revolution which will transform in-depth the small world of the bicycle. Tapie does not need to go to seek very far the sponsors: it uses its companies. The Life Claire (a dietetic chain of food) will give her name to the team. But the names of Terraillon, Wonder and Look will also appear on the shirt (of which the drawing is inspired by Piet Mondrian).

1984 - The Life Claire-Terraillon

In 1984, the team thus makes an entry crashing to pieces in the group. More especially as Hinault imposed an chief technical officer on the revolutionary methods, Switzerland Paul Koechli.

However, in 1984, Hinault is not given yet of its operation of the knee. The young people of Renault-Gipsy, Laurent Fignon and Greg Lemond, lead the hard life to the Breton one. When Fignon gains the Tour de France, the match definitively seems to have turned to the advantage of Guimard.

1985 - The Life Claire-Radar

In 1985, Tapie does not hope to leave main Guimard of the play. It approaches Fignon, but it is finally Lemond which it engages, by offering to him a contract of a million dollars for three years. Moreover, it reinforces the team with Niki Ruttimann, Kim Andersen and Steve Bauer.

The team is stronger than ever, the more so as Hinault seems to have found its level of antan. Nothing any more then seems to resist to the men of the Life Claire who raflent the races the ones after the others. Hinault thus gains its 5th Tour de France and its 3rd Tour of Italy, helped by Lemond.

1986 - The Life Claire-Radar

In 1986, two young runners of talent arrive. The American Andrew Hampsten (future winner of the Turn of Italy) and the French Jean-François Bernard. For its last year in the group, Hinault promised to help Lemond to gain the Turn. But the Breton one does not go therefore making the things easy. Finally, Lemond carries it, after a famous arrival with the Alpe d' Huez, put in scene by Tapie.

1987 - Toshiba it Life Claire

In 1987, Hinault took its retirement and Lemond was victim of an accident of hunting. The team counts then on Jean-François Bernard, indicated like dolphin of Bernard Hinault. The young Resident of Nevers shows indeed the extent of its talent. It gains to it against-the-watch of the Mont Ventoux and seizes the yellow jersey. But its team is not with the height, and “Jeff” is undoubtedly a little to tend. After 3 punctures, and attacked of any share, it cracks in the stage which leads to Villard-with-Lans, and it is finally Stephen Roche which carries it in Paris. Bernard finishes nevertheless on the podium.

1988 - Toshiba-look

In 1988, North-American Lemond and its comrades (Bauer, Hampsten) are not there any more, Paul Koechli either. The new team is built around Jean-François Bernard, who imposed Yves Hézard on the orders. One finds there Luc Leblanc (future world champion) and Bjarne Riis (future winner of the Turn).
Jean-François Bernard begins the season well, but it falls in the Turn of Italy whereas it carried the pink shirt.

1989 - Toshiba-Kärcher-look

In 1989, Bernard Tapie, who is interested more and more in football and less and less to the bicycle from goes away. At the same time, young French makes his beginnings in the team: Laurent Jalabert (it gains the Turn of Armorique). The season is however bad, with the image of Jean-François Bernard which does not gain any race of scale.

1990 - Toshiba

In 1990, the shirt changes, but the team remains almost the same one. Ca is a little better for Jean-François Bernard who gain a stage of Paris-Nice, and one to the Tour of Spain. But the assessment of the season remains mean for the team, in spite of the beautiful places of Jalabert and the title of champion of France of Philippe Louviot.

1991 - Toshiba

In 1991, Jean-François Bernard, who concretized the hopes forever, from goes away to Banesto. A new leader is engaged, Switzerland Tony Rominger, which gains Paris-Nice then. When in Jalabert, it appears already like a large hunter of traditional by finishing second of the final classification of the World cup behind Maurizio Fondriest.

The team withdraws group with the end of the year 1991.

Prize list

Tour de France: 1985 and 1986
Turn of Italy: 1985
Paris-Nice: 1991

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