The Nippo Delko One Provence team announced that Philippe Lanne, CEO of its primary sponsor, the Delko Group, has been named managing owner of the French UCI ProTeam team.

The team grew out of the French amateur team VC La Pomme, founded in 1974, whose alumni include Daryl Impey of Mitchelton-Scott, Dan Martin of Israel Start-Up Nation, and cousin Nicolas Roche ( Sunweb), among others.

Currently, there is experienced Japanese rider Fumiyuki Beppu, who joined Trek-Segafredo for 2020, and Lithuanian rider Ramunas Navardauskas, who is in his second year with Bahrain-Merida.

The 2020 cycling season is currently suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak, but the team has already won five races this year, with Eritrea's Biniam Girmay Hailu taking two stage wins at La Tropicale Amissa Bongo, Eito Nakane at the Tour de Langkawi stage win, and Jose Manuel Diaz of Spain and Mur Kinfe Hailemichael of Ethiopia took stage wins at the Tour de Rwanda.

For the fifth year in a row, the team also earned a wildcard entry to the now postponed Paris-Roubaix, which was scheduled to take place on Sunday, April 12.

"We want to continue the team's history from the days of Vélo Club La Pomme and remain true to the open conditions that offer athletes from Provence and emerging countries the possibility to compete against the best in the world," Lanne said in a press release on Thursday.

"The Nippo Delco One Provence team is an ambassador for Provence and cycling in Japan, Europe, Africa, and around the world. My ambition for Nippo Delco One Provence is to become a true employer brand, an indispensable team for race organizers and to succeed in the most prestigious world championships thanks to our international team."