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Cycling: Romain Bardet tempted by a departure for a foreign team

2020-06-10T08:12:26.233Z


At the end of the contract, the 29-year-old French runner confirmed that he was planning to leave his lifelong team, AG2R-la-Mondiale.


If Thibaut Pinot extended his contract until 2023 with Groupama-FDJ, another great leader in French cycling, Romain Bardet is in full reflection on his future. The Auvergnat who has known only one team, AG2R-la-Mondiale, since his professional beginnings in 2012, plans to change his air in 2021. "Yes, Romain is interested in going elsewhere," confirmed in the Team his agent Joona Laukka, who met Vincent Lavenu, the manager of AG2R, last week at the headquarters of the French team in Chambéry.

After having successfully extended Benoît Cosnefroy, Oliver Naesen or Alexis Vuillermoz, Vincent Lavenu will have to find the right arguments to keep his leader. If he leaves, Romain Bardet will favor a track abroad. The Dutch team Sunweb has already approached him, Trek-Segafredo and Mitchelton-Scott would also be interested.

The 29-year-old rider, who has climbed the Tour de France podium twice (2nd in 2016, 3rd in 2017), did not hide his desires elsewhere in an interview with the daily La Montagne.

"It is legitimate to have these thoughts"

"The reflection is in progress, explains Bardet. I focus first on this year. I will resume negotiations once the season has really started. For the moment, nothing is closed. Stay or leave, for the moment the reflection is not stopped. I am reaching a key point in my career where I have acquired a lot of experience. But I also have a few good years left where I can make the most of my abilities. We are actively thinking about finding the best way at AG2R or another team to achieve this. I am at a point in my career where it is legitimate to have these thoughts. "

After his failed 2019 Tour de France (15th) but saved by a polka dot jersey, Bardet had displayed his desire to "reinvent himself". A change of team would go in this direction for the one who recently became a father.

If he had to ignore the Tour de France to favor the Giro, the coronavirus pandemic has changed his plans. He will be fine from Nice on August 29 but will not target the general classification. "I prefer not to plan. We'll see how things go. Last year, I had a lot of expectations and I was disappointed. Even if bringing back the polka dot jersey was a satisfaction, I did not have much pleasure. I will not be focused on the general classification. I will get there without pressure. I take this as an opportunity to play the spoilsport. "

Source: leparis

All sports articles on 2020-06-10

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