Gianetti outlines Cosnefroy approached UAE - 'He doesn't have Tour de France obsession'

"It was his agent who contacted us, telling us he was free and would be happy to race with us," Gianetti revealed in an interview with bici.pro about the former Decathlon rider. "At that point, we asked him why he was coming to us, what he expected, and his answer was significant."

According to Gianetti, Cosnefroy's response demonstrated maturity and self-awareness that immediately impressed the UAE management. "Racing with you would make me incredibly motivated. I'm French, but I don't have the pretensions or obsession of the Tour de France. I want to be on the world's number one team to grow as an athlete," Cosnefroy told them.

The Frenchman, who won De Brabantse Pijl in 2024, further clarified his eagerness to improve after a challenging 2025 season. "Especially since I'm coming off a difficult year and I want to get back on my feet. I know you can give me the technical support I need to improve, and I'm ready to lend a hand," Gianetti also said regarding Cosnefroy's words.

Gianetti noted that Cosnefroy has already integrated well with the team during their recent meetings in the United Arab Emirates. "He was very happy, calm, and confident in his choice and in this environment. He integrated immediately," said the CEO, attributing this to the team's friendly atmosphere.

"UAE Team Emirates is an open, international, and warm group. I saw Benoît as brilliant, easy to talk to others. And I think he even had fun," Gianetti explained. "I think he was a great signing."

The UAE boss highlighted Cosnefroy's diverse abilities: "An athlete like him can be good for both one-day and week-long races. He can sprint, he can break away, and, most importantly, he can perform high-intensity work, obviously on rough terrain or on climbs lasting up to 10–15 minutes."

Technical adjustments have already begun, with Cosnefroy visiting the team's service course. Gianetti explained they've started with "a soft approach, meaning we've copied the measurements he had on his old bike and adapted them to the Colnago's, but we've already made a few small adjustments to the position."

While the Frenchman's race program hasn't been finalized yet, Cosnefroy has already tempered expectations, telling his fan club he doesn't anticipate riding the Tour de France.