The AG2R LA MONDIALE Pro Cycling team and Carlos Betancur have come to a mutual agreement to end their partnership as of August 20, 2015.



The rider, who was under contract until the end of the 2016 season, is now free to find a new team for the next season.

He has won five races since joining the team in 2013, including the Paris-Nice and Tour du Haut Var general classifications in 2014, and the young rider category of the 2013 Giro d’Italia.

“After several months during which we have been unable to find a solution to help Carlos Betancur reach the same level of performance that allowed him to win Paris-Nice in 2014, we have decided, in agreement with the rider, to end our partnership. We come away with the memory of an endearing young man and a top-level rider whom we wish a successful future career," manager Vincent Lavenu said.

“I would like to thank the AG2R LA MONDIALE team for its professionalism, trust, and support over the course of the past three seasons, during which I have experienced some fantastic sporting moments," Betancur said. "We have reached the conclusion that I need to make a change in order to pursue my career, and I am happy that we’ve been able to reach an agreement so that I can get a new start for another team.”

Betancur has suffered from a lack of form since he finished fifth in the 2013 Giro, often returning from Colombia significantly overweight. That recently happened when he got back to Europe to prepare for the Vuelta a Espana but the team deemed him unfit to start the race.