Tudor, a first invitation for an ambitious team like no other

The Swiss training, in which Julian Alaphilippe runs, participates in his first Tour de France.

Founded in 2018, sponsored by Tudor in 2022, Proteam in 2023 (second world division) and already on the Tour de France in 2025, the Swiss team wasted no time. “I was a runner who was going quickly, so it's normal”laughed at its owner, Fabian Cancellara, former world champion and Olympic champion of the time trial, before the big start of the Tour, given on Saturday July 5. At the head of the training since 2022, he brought the watchmaking company to his luggage to grow the team and attract renowned runners including Julian Alaphilippe.

A stage in Paris-Nice won in 2024, a news in 2025, the victory in the general classification on the Tour des Alpes … If bad languages ​​have been able to say that Tudor was invited on the Tour de France that because of the presence of the French champion in his ranks, her results speak for her. In the UCI team ranking, she appears in front of World Tour (first division) training, such as Arkea-B & B Hotels, Intermarché-Wanty or Jayco Alula.

“Obviously, the arrival of Julian Alaphilippe playsconcedes Christian Prudhomme, the boss of the Tour, with Franceinfo: Sport. But also other talent runners, such as Marc Hirschi or Michael Storer and obviously Matteo Trentin. It's not that Julian Alaphilippe, it counts, but there is a real team “. In total, the runners of the Swiss training weigh 19 stages of stages in the big round: six for Alaphilippe, seven for Matteo Trentin, three for Alberto Dainese, two for Michael Storer and one for Marc Hirschi. Alongside these experienced runners, some young shoots are made a place each year, like the French Mathys Rondel, passed by the Tudor development team. Because the Swiss team has one, which is not the case for all the World Tour teams.

“Honestly, I don't see any difference in terms of organization, structure or expertise. It's very similar”underlined the Swiss Marc Hirschi at the start of the season, when he arrived from the UAE Team Emirates team of Tadej Pogacar. For the Swiss training, it will be complicated to be among the 18 best world teams on the 2023-2025 cycle, in order to obtain a World Tour license for the next cycle between 2026 and 2028. But it can try to be among the two best proteams to ensure invitations for the three large towers in 2026.

“The objective is to be in the fight with the best world teams, we do not hide it”explained Mathys Rondel on the Critérium du Dauphiné, in June. For this, Tudor does not behave like other invited teams, who regularly send men to the front to show the jersey and the sponsor, even if the escaped is doomed to failure. “We are not there to make advertising escapes. We will run without embarrassment and without complex”confirms Julian Alaphilippe. “On the steps of sprint, there is no point in putting someone in the breakaway, so we do not do so. It is also burning cartridges for the following days. The goal is not to be in the breakaway to be there, but only to be in a tactical goal”explicile Maths Rondel.

On this Tour de France, the Swiss team does not present a leader for the general classification and will aim for stages victories. Perhaps on Sunday in Boulogne-sur-Mer or Monday in Dunkirk for Julian Alaphilippe. And what would be a successful tour of France for Tudor? “May all runners arrive in Paris”answer French and Fabian Cancellara.