Unibet Rose Rockets signal Tour de France ambition with Lafay swoop

After pondering retirement in recent weeks, Victor Lafay is set to continue his professional career for at least another season. L’Équipereported on Wednesday that Lafay has signed a one-year deal with Unibet Rose Rockets.

Lafay joined Decathlon-AG2R after his stage win on the 2023 Tour de France in San Sebastian, but his two years on the team have been blighted by injury and illness. 

The Frenchman confessed to Daniel Benson in September that he was considering hanging up his wheels, but he enjoyed a fine finale to the season, including an attacking second place overall at the Tour of Guangxi.

Speaking to Domestique in Guangxi, Lafay indicated that it was ‘50-50’ whether he would keep racing in 2026, and he hinted at the possibility of moving into a different discipline. He confirmed, however, that he had an offer to remain in the pro peloton, adding that he would make his decision in the coming weeks. “I have two really good options for my future, and I’m really excited about these two options,” he said.

A report on Velo-Club on Wednesday morning suggested that Lafay had agreed terms with an unnamed French team for 2026, but L’Équipe has since reported that the 29-year-old will join the ambitious Unibet Rose Rockets squad next season. The Dutch team switched to operating under a French licence at the start of 2025.

The signing of Lafay marks a considerable coup for Bas Tietema’s Pro Continental team, who are seeking a wildcard invitation to the Tour de France in 2026. Their signings so far have included Dylan Groenewegen, Wout Poels and Rory Townsend. With Lafay’s signing confirmed, he joins fellow French riders Killian Verschuren and Adrien Maire on the 2026 roster.

At first glance, Lafay appears to be a perfect fit for an organisation that has projected a playful image via the YouTube channel that has documented its growth from a small Continental outfit to a team chasing a place in the biggest races.

In Guangxi, Lafay highlighted the importance of perspective amid the high-stakes environment of the WorldTour. 

“I feel everyone is getting more and more serious,” Lafay said after the podium ceremony on the final day. “If the riders are happy with this, it’s okay, but I think even in younger categories, they are doing the same job as we are doing and it can be quite early for them. 

“I think one important thing they have to remember is you need to enjoy being on the bike. Me, when I’m good it’s when I enjoy being on the bike. I think it’s the same for everybody. You can see Pogacar, when he enjoys it, he’s the best.”

In the teams announcment post, Lafay stated, "In the WorldTour you have to fit in a box and I don't think I quite fit in there. I wanted to sell cheese in Japan, have a food truck and then make croque monsieurs."

"Then Bas called me. He asked me: can I come to Annecy? We were supposed to cycle for an hour, but in the end we ended up with four. I had offers from WorldTeams in my pocket, but I knew that would not make me happy. I'm much better at the Rockets," Lafay concluded.