He is one of the most prominent amateur riders this season. Florian Rapiteau has eight wins this season including three on the Tour du Guadeloupe, a semi-professional event, in August. The 23-year-old rider from Loire-Atlantique, who has been racing under the colors of Laval Cyclisme 53 since the 2020 season, stood out with 25 top 5s during the season.
Florian Rapiteau will realize his dream, racing in the professional peloton. He joined the Saint-Michel Auber 93 team which plays in the Continental (the equivalent of the third division).
On the Facebook page of his future team, Florian Rapiteau declares: “I am very happy to join St Michel – Auber 93 for the 2023 season. It is the culmination of a superb season for me. The current immediately went well with the members of the staff. The desire to evolve alongside them therefore seemed natural to me, and it is a real pleasure to join this historic and emblematic team. I look forward to next season and contributing to the success of the team.”
For the manager of this Saint-Michel Auber 93 team, Stephane Javalethe’s a good recruit: “the adventurer we were looking for will join us, and Florian will fit perfectly into the spirit of St-Michel – Auber 93.“
For the president of Laval Cyclisme 53, Patrick Omasson : “it is a source of pride for the club, the city of Laval and the department of Mayenne. This proves that the club is a breeding ground. Hopefully there will be more such announcements by the end of the season.“
Florian Rapiteau is not the first rider from Laval Cyclisme 53 to turn professional. A few years ago, the Mayenne Clement Davy had shown the way.