FDJ-Big Mat
FDJ-BigMat (UCI team code: FDJ) is a French cycling team, named for its title sponsor, the French national lottery. Sponsorship of the team began in 1997. The team was named FDJeux.com in 2003 and 2004, then renamed Française des Jeux, supposedly to avoid bad luck, until July 2010, when the name was simplified to its initials. Prior to the 2012 season, French building merchants BigMat joined the team as co-sponsors, contributing €2 million to the team.
The team is managed by Marc Madiot, a former road bicycle racer and a former winner of the Paris–Roubaix classic. The team is predominantly French. In the 2003 edition of Tour de France, Australian individual time trial expert Bradley McGee won the prologue stage to wear the yellow jersey for a few days. McGee was also able to win the prologue of next year Giro d'Italia, wore pink jersey for three days and finish the race in the top ten (eight). Sprinter Baden Cooke won the green jersey for the points competition.
On 31 October 2012, it emerged that BigMat would no longer sponsor the team, with the team choosing to focus on finding another co-sponsor for the 2014 season.
Read more about FDJ-Big Mat: National Champions, Team Roster
Famous quotes containing the word mat:
“Or on the Mat devoutly kneeling
Would lift her Eyes up to the Ceiling,
And heave her Bosom unaware
For neighb’ring Beaux to see it bare.”
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745)