Victor Lafay considered hanging up his bike for good, but now seems to be reconsidering. Several French media outlets – including Veloclub – report that the 29-year-old rider will soon sign with 'a French cycling team.'
He was one of the revelations of the 2023 Tour de France. After this successful Tour (with a stage win on the second stage, finishing in Bilbao), Victor Lafay seemed ready to storm the cycling elite, but a persistent knee injury held him back significantly.
He was nevertheless welcomed with great fanfare by Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, but the rider was plagued by illness and ongoing knee issues over the next two seasons. The puncheur still hadn’t shaken off all his physical troubles last season and even considered the worst-case scenario: the end of his cycling career.
Victor Lafay was still one of the revelations in the 2023 Tour de France – photo: Fotopersburo Cor Vos
A final decision about his future has not yet been made, but he can at least no longer count on an extended stay at Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale. That Lafay still has what it takes was recently proven in the Gree-Tour of Guangxi, where the Frenchman finished second overall, behind winner Paul Double.
Where Lafay once hinted at retirement, the outlook now looks completely different. He is said to be joining a French cycling team in January, although it is still unclear which formation this will be.
