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Pending races, transfers shake up the peloton

2020-06-07T17:48:30.329Z


Pinot extended, Bardet wonders. French leaders are at the heart of the transfer market.


The riders are preparing for the deadlines: resumption of competitions in August, with the Tour de France in the background (August 29-September 20) and three months filled with milestones (the big laps, the world championships and monuments, in particular).

Groupama-FDJ on Thursday extended the contracts of Thibaut Pinot, Arnaud Démare, David Gaudu and Stefan Küng. To see the present and the future (until 2023) with ambition. “It was obvious to want to continue the adventure with the Groupama-FDJ cycling team. The commitment of our two title sponsors until 2024 was clearly a determining factor in my choice to stay. The fact of being able to count on loyal sponsors and partners allows us all to evolve serenely. We have seen it again during this period of crisis, we are fortunate to have solid and committed sponsors. Sportingly, the project is more and more ambitious and interesting. Today, we can see the rise of young people like David Gaudu or Valentin Madouas and this arouses a real craze around us. Personally, it stimulates me and it pushes me to transcend myself. Leaving, when I arrive in my best years, would have left me with a taste of unfinished business. I haven't finished writing my story with this team. I firmly believe that we will still build great things and win the best races. The Tour de France obviously remains the ultimate objective for which I want to devote myself 100%, ”explained Thibaut Pinot.

»READ ALSO -  Groupama-FDJ locks Pinot and Démare until 2023

Others wonder. Romain Bardet (at the end of the contract) is, according to De Telegraaf in the sights of the Dutch training Sunweb, a German team under Dutch license which lost its leader Tom Dumoulin, left at Jumbo-Visma after three full seasons (marked in particular by the success on the Giro 2017). Romain Bardet (29) has been the leader and driving force of the AG2R-La Mondiale team for long seasons. He was at the origin of a performance pole, he is consulted and involved in all strategic choices. The Auvergnat made its professional debut in 2012 in Savoyard training (after having attended the training center) and registered as the most regular French on the Tour de France (notably 2nd in 2016 and 3rd in 2017; 3 stage wins).

The 2019 Tour (15th at nearly 30 min from Egan Bernal) saved by the polka dot jersey of best climber marked a break. In the shadow of the Alaphilippe-Pinot duo, Romain Bardet suffered physically and morally. Vice-world champion 2018, extremely ambitious, he will not rush wishing to tackle the current season and the multiple deadlines that await him but will take the time with his agent Joona Laukka to study the proposals. Coming from Vincent Lavenu to extend the adventure and elsewhere. At 29, he found himself at a crossroads.

"I think Romain would like the organization (of Sunweb), which is in the foreground"

Nicolas Roche

An adventure abroad can seduce him. Like that which can emanate from Sunweb, a formation member of the MPCC (Movement For a Credible Cycling) in which passed Warren Barguil (in 2017). “I think Romain would like their organization, which is first rate. We know the obsession with details at Ineos, we know less for Sunweb because they did not win the Tour but that is the reality. I would love to find Romain, I consider him a friend, "summed up in L'Equipe Nicolas Roche at Sunweb since 2019 and who rubbed shoulders with Bardet during his professional debut at AG2R, having heard of the rumor.

Froome at the end of the contract

As for the French headliners, Warren Barguil is under contract with Arkéa-Samsic until 2022 (like Guillaume Martin at Cofidis). Julian Alaphilippe is linked until 2021 to the Deceuninck-Quick Step training. Lilian Calmejane wearing the colors of Total-Direct Energie until 2021.

In the international peloton, Christopher Froome, one of the question marks of the season, aims for a victorious 5th Tour de France but will have to deal with experienced and ambitious partners (Egan Bernal and Geraint Thomas) is at the end of the contract with Ineos . And the riders of the CCC formation who will leave the peloton a year before the expiration of his contract will be looking for projects, like the Belgian Greg Van Avermaet, the Olympic champion.

Read also

  • Groupama-FDJ locks Pinot and Démare until 2023

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2020-06-07

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