Romain Bardet will be hoping to snatch some summit victories atop a Factor bike in 2017, as the Norfolk based manufacturer will offer the choice of three road models and a time trial bike to the French team.
‘I am very proud that Factor will be entering the World Tour with a team as strong as AG2R La Mondiale,’ said Factor co-owner and former pro Baden Cooke.
‘We are highly motivated to continue to develop our machines with the feedback from the riders to stay ahead of the game.’
Baden clearly has high hopes for the collaboration, stating that making Bardet the first French Tour de France winner since Bernard Hinault is a goal they have in their sights.
AG2R will race on Factor’s latest range of bikes: the O2 - an all round model, the ONE - stiff and aerodynamic, the ONE-S - and the soon to be released Slick time trial bike. The ONE-S is the most interesting of the riders’ options, as the model features a unique split down-tube, designed with assistance from bf1systems - aero expert to the likes of Lamborghini and Aston Martin.
Factor released its first production bike, the Vis Vires, in 2013 and is becoming increasingly well known in Britain thanks in part to the involvement of former British road and TT champion David Millar.
‘It will be a very proud moment seeing the bikes I helped develop being raced in the Tour de France next year,’ said Millar.
‘Factor has allowed me more say in development than any manufacturer during my racing career.’
Whether or not Bardet will be able to deliver the victory in France will be answered in July, but what we know for certain is that Factor’s sponsorship brings with it equal parts excitement and weight of expectation.