Amandine Fouquenet used the toughest stage in cyclocross to send a clear message to potential teams, delivering a standout third place at the Cyclocross World Cup in Namur while still without a contract for 2026.
The French national champion backed up her runner-up finish at the Flamanville World Cup earlier this season with another podium on the brutal slopes of the Citadel of Namur, confirming that her form this winter is no coincidence.
At 24, Fouquenet finds herself in an uncertain position off the bike after the collapse of Arkéa-B&B Hotels Women, which failed to secure a new sponsor for the coming season. On the bike, however, she continues to underline her value at the highest level.
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A fearless start sets the tone in Namur
Fouquenet was immediately on the offensive in Namur, exploding off the line and powering up the opening cobbled climb to the Citadel to establish a clear lead within the first minute of racing.
Only the experience and depth of Lucinda Brand eventually brought her back. The Dutch rider went on to take victory, with European champion Aniek Van Alphen finishing second. Fouquenet held firm behind them, fending off Puck Pieterse to secure a hard-earned podium, finishing just one minute down on the winner.
“It was a very strong start, but I may have gone a little too deep,” Fouquenet said after the race. “I had to recover a bit, but Aniek and Lucinda were very strong. I’m happy with third place. For now, it’s my best season, with two podiums in the World Cup.”
Brand herself acknowledged the impact of Fouquenet’s ride. “She always has an amazing start,” Brand said. “She did an amazing ride. I didn’t expect it, and that’s really good for her.”
A season built on consistency and confidence
Namur was not an isolated result. Fouquenet began her winter with third place at the Superprestige in Ruddervoorde and followed that with fifth at the European Championships in Middelkerke. Her second place at the Flamanville World Cup marked a career-best World Cup finish and firmly placed her among the season’s most consistent riders.
She arrived in Belgium fresh from a two-week training camp in Calpe, and the physical sharpness was clear throughout the race. Crucially, she has yet to finish outside the top ten in any cyclocross race this season, collecting four podiums so far, including a dominant victory at the Coupe de France round in Quelneuc.
Contract uncertainty despite career-best form
Despite those results, Fouquenet remains without a confirmed team for 2026. Her coach Léonard Cosnier admitted that discussions with at least one team had progressed before collapsing late.
“She was in advanced contact with a team but it fell through,” Cosnier told Le Télégramme. “It’s quite incredible that a rider of this level still hasn’t found a team at this point. If Amandine manages to sign in the coming days, I’m sure she’ll bounce back.”
Fouquenet’s situation is particularly striking given her dual road and cyclocross profile. Last season she completed the Tour de France Femmes, while her 2025 road programme mirrored that of a traditional cyclocross rider, combining Spring Classics racing with targeted French one-day events, including a 16th place at the Morbihan Classic.
‘I’m ready and I want to show I’m a fighter’
Speaking earlier this season, Fouquenet was open about the mental challenge of racing without security for the following year.
“I’m trying to put all the chances on my side,” she said. “It’s not easy because I don’t have anything for next year. For the moment, it’s not easy mentally, but physically I’m ready and I want to show that I’m a fighter for a team.”
She has deliberately refined her approach this winter, focusing more closely on technical efficiency and energy conservation in races.
“The other years I didn’t train too technically, but this season I told myself I really had to stop losing seconds here and there,” she explained. “In cyclocross, when you manage not to make a lot of effort and save some for the last lap, it really helps.”
Turning 25 next season, Fouquenet feels she is entering a decisive phase of her career. Her preparation now extends beyond training alone, with greater attention paid to nutrition, sleep and recovery.
“The teams are almost already full and we know budgets are tight everywhere,” she said. “But I’m not giving up, and I really hope the phone will ring.”
After Namur, that phone feels closer than it has at any point in her career.