I didn't really have holidays in France until I was an adult. At the time, I was just getting into cycling and Le Tour in a big way and fortunate to be in Lisieux in 2011 to see Team Sky get their first stage win.
I was also very excited to see Decathlon stores - mega supermarkets crammed with everything outdoors. I'd never been in anything like it.
One of my rare ventures into a UK store was to the London Surrey Quays one, and it was back here I found myself for the first time in over a decade staring across the only freshwater body in Docklands at the Sandcrawler-like edifice of Canada Water Library.
I was here for the launch of the first store-in-store venture for the Van Rysel division of Decathlon, a showcase for their premium cycling brand.
At the start of the 2024 season, the brand returned to the pro peloton as joint sponsor with AG2R-La Mondial and as a showcase for their new, pro-level race bikes.
What is significant here is the mass-market philosophy that Van Rysel intend to bring to an elite area of sport. Their Van Rysel RCR PRO and XCR bikes are relatively affordable compared to their rival manufacturers, and many of the features developed during their design and build have been adopted across the range - a near identical RCR Pro with Shimano Ultegra Di2 or SRAM Rival AXS comes in at around £5k.
Still eye-watering for some, but well below a comparable S-Works Tarmac SL8 or a Cervelo S5. Even the race-ready Van Rysel RCR Pro is 25% cheaper than the latter marques, saving you up to £3.5K that you would be able to spend on hired muscle to travel around with you to guard your bike during a coffee stop.
The design of the Van Rysel shop takes elements from the area around Lille (Rysel is the Flemish name for the city where Decathlon was born) and in particular, Roubaix.
Dominating the entrance is the shimmering 'mirror d'eau' plinth that showcases the XCR Time Trial model, flanked on either side by the range of RCRs that are available. Behind this lies the welcome desk like a slab of concrete formed in honour of the iconic Roubaix Velodrome showers.
A wall of open steel mesh (a nod to the wind tunnels of the ONERA French aerospace research laboratory) hides the dedicated workshop and fitting area. An outer wall encircles this central hub, hung with a plethora of clothing and accessories, from race-ready all-in-one aero suits and triathlon gear to socks, gloves, and every other cycling necessity you can think of.
The team from Van Rysel welcomed us officially and gave us more insights into the conception and development of the brand and were clearly excited to be here. Their general demeanor was perhaps enhanced on them learning the Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale team had just taken first and second in a stage of the Tour de Romandie.
The most fascinating and engaging part of the day was the story relating to the concept & design of the RCR bike. Van Rysel decided that if they wanted to make the fastest racing bike, they should maybe talk to experts in aerodynamics. It just so happens that Decathlon's headquarters is in Lille, a few hundred metres from ONERA - the internationally renowned French centre for aerodynamic research that helped design Concorde among other very rapid flying things.
So they popped in to the neighbours to borrow a cup of sugar and - ooh, while we're here - would you have a moment spare to design our aerodynamic bike?
ONERA said 'yes', and many iterations of the frame were built up using 3D printing, slung over shoulders, and walked across the road to be tested.
It's obvious the hard work has paid off - the Decathlon AG2R-La Mondiale team has had phenomenal success in its debut season (including the aforementioned Tour de Romandie 1-2).
Van Rysel has set itself up as a premium marque within Decathlon, and while the latter may have an (unfair) reputation in the UK for being cheap and cheerful, the quality of Van Rysel's range is most certainly at the premium end of the market.
This is very evident in both the bikes and the clothing and accessories that were on display. In case the AG2R results aren't enough to convince, a visit to this highly impressive new store should dispel any doubts.
And yes, you can still get the iconic brown bib shorts...
Discover the Van Rysel range of bikes and apparel at www.decathlon.co.uk/shop-in-shop/van-rysel
Visit the new Van Rysel Shop at Decathlon Surrey Quays, Canada Water, London SE16 7FU.
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