Mercier (cycling team)

Mercier

Gan–Mercier–Hutchinson rider Cyrille Guimard at the 1973 Tour de France
Registered	France
Founded	1935
Disbanded	1984
Discipline	Road
Bicycles	Cycles Mercier
1935–1953 1954–1969 1970–1971 1972–1976 1977–1978 1979–1981 1982–1983 1984	Mercier–Hutchinson Mercier–BP–Hutchinson Fagor–Mercier–Hutchinson Gan–Mercier–Hutchinson Miko–Mercier–Hutchinson Miko–Mercier–Vivagel COOP–Mercier–Mavic COOP–Hoonved

Mercier was a French professional cycling team that promoted and raced on Mercier racing bikes. Together with the Peugeot team, the Mercier team had a long presence in the cycling sport and in the Tour de France from 1935 until 1984.

Cycles Mercier was the main sponsor of the team from at least 1935 on until 1969. From 1946 on, the team wore a purple jersey which in 1950 became the characteristic purple jersey with yellow neck and cuff lining which was to stay with the team until Mercier was no longer the main sponsor of the team in 1969. From 1935 to 1955 the team had as second sponsor Hutchinson and was the Mercier-Hutchinson team. From 1956 the team was known as Mercier-BP-Hutchinson which it would continue as until 1969 after which the sponsor Mercier became the second sponsor of the team. Two time Tour de France champion and 1936 World Champion Antonin Magne finished his career with the Mercier-Hutchinson team in 1941. Around ten years later in 1953, Magne was the main directeur sportif of the team and he would guide the team up until 1970 when the name of the team changed to Fagor-Mercier. Magne guided the team during many successful years. Frenchman Louison Bobet was part of the team in 1955 when he won Tour of Flanders but at this time the Tour de France was disputed by national teams so Mercier did not have the opportunity to ride the Tour as a team. Nevertheless, riders of the team won the Tour in 1937 and 1955.

Despite being on the team, it appears that Louison Bobet did not wear the Mercier-BP-Hutchinson jersey but a Bobet-BP-Hutchinson jersey. This happened during several races and was common practice at the time as can be seen with other sponsors names that took the place of Mercier for example- A. Leducq, A,Magne, F.Pelissier, Le Greves and M.Archambaud. Examples of the different jerseys can be found on the French website memoire du cyclisme. In this way Bobet was part of the Magne directed Mercier team but he rode his own mark of racing bicycles – Louison Bobet bicycles and his teams are listed as from 1955 to 1960 as Bobet-BP-Hutchinson.