Car hire firm Europcar has stepped in to save one of France’s leading cycling teams with a last-minute sponsorship deal.

Bbox, which sponsors the team managed by Jean-Rene Bernaudeau featuring French champion Thomas Voeckler, is pulling out of the sport at the end of the year.

Bernaudeau had been faced with folding operations altogether, prompting some of his riders to jump ship.

However the former professional has managed to secure a last-minute deal that will guarantee the team’s future for the next three years.

In a statement, the company said “Europcar… will be the title sponsor of Jean-Rene Bernaudeau’s cycling team, which includes Thomas Voeckler, Antony Charteau, Pierre Rolland and Cyril Gautier.

“The partnership will take effect as of 2011, for at least three years.
This new partnership allows the team of Jean-Rene Bernaudeau to continue its tremendous human adventure.”

Bernaudeau has led the team through its evolution from Bonjour in 2000 to Brioches-La-Boulangere, Bouygues-Telecom and then Bbox.

During that spell his riders have won five stages in the Tour de France with two of them, Francois Simon in 2000 and Thomas Voeckler in 2004, wearing the race’s prestigious yellow jersey.

Bernaudeau said: “After all the recent events, I am proud of this new partnership. Europcar is a global brand, which will enable us to continue our adventure by giving us the means to achieve our ambitions.”