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Country: France
Pascal Ridel started with the Danish team in the 2009 season, but even before joining this team he had a very solid background as a mechanic in the pro peloton.
He raced as a junior back home in France from the age of 16 till 22. He won 12 races at 17 and was well on the way to becoming a pro before an injury ended his career at the tender age of 22.
"I had problems with the blood supply to my left leg so I didn't make enough progress from when I was 17 and onwards and in the end I had to give up. I'd dreamt of becoming a pro but my injury made it impossible. So my job as a mechanic was the next best thing as I have a real passion for cycling. I love being part of the peloton. Being part of a team traveling round, competing is my kind of life and now I've ended up here with the best team in the world," says 44-year-old Ridel, who had surgery after ending his career and hasn't had problems with his leg since.
Following his career coming to an end in 1987 Ridel became a mechanic for Fagor. The year after he switched to Z-Peugeot, where he worked on Greg LeMond's bike, when he won Tour de France in 1990 and he also worked for Gilbert Duclos-Lasalle, when he won on the cobblestones in Paris-Roubaix in 1992 and 1993. In 1993 the team changed it's name to GAN and in 1998 a new main sponsor came along and the name changed to Crédit Agricole, but unfortunately the 2008 season was the last for the team.
"Half way through 2008 we were told that the team was unable to find a new sponsor and had to close. I started to talk with other teams and the Danish team was recommended to me by some of the other mechanics already on the team and in the end we came to an agreement. I'd worked with Roger Legeay for 21 years and I was sad to leave Crédit Agricole, but it was inevitable and this was by far the best choice," says Ridel.