The best of the French teams, and that isn't damning with faint praise in the way that it once might have been, with AG2R having a great season 2014. Fiercely competitive, and they have a good mixture of precocious youth and steadfast elders.
In:
Jan Bakelants (classics, stage wins)
Johan Van Summeren (cobbles, domestique)
Out:
Yahaneui Hutarovich (sprinter)
Davide Appollonio (sprinter)
Maxime Bouet (climber, domestique)
Stars:
Romain Bardet (stage races, classics)
Jean-Christophe Peraud (stage races)
Domenico Pozzovivo (climber)
Alexis Vuillermoz (young climber)
Carlos Betancur (centre of media attention)
Strengths: Lots of GC options, and can do well even in the big Grand Tours, with plenty of very talented riders.
Good support for GC riders as well.
Decent outsiders for the cobbled classics, Turgot, Gaudin, Van Summeren and Minard are often seen mixing it amongst the traditional favourites in those races.
Coming off a strong season.
Weaknesses:
No real sprinters (Dumoulin?, Mondory?) and absolutely no sprint train.
Don't really have the budget to attract a superstar of the sport, and will rarely have the favourite in a race.
Betancur's fitness level, form and more importantly the media coverage it generates, must be distracting for the team.
Jan Bakelants (classics, stage wins)
Johan Van Summeren (cobbles, domestique)
Out:
Yahaneui Hutarovich (sprinter)
Davide Appollonio (sprinter)
Maxime Bouet (climber, domestique)
Stars:
Romain Bardet (stage races, classics)
Jean-Christophe Peraud (stage races)
Domenico Pozzovivo (climber)
Alexis Vuillermoz (young climber)
Carlos Betancur (centre of media attention)
Strengths: Lots of GC options, and can do well even in the big Grand Tours, with plenty of very talented riders.
Good support for GC riders as well.
Decent outsiders for the cobbled classics, Turgot, Gaudin, Van Summeren and Minard are often seen mixing it amongst the traditional favourites in those races.
Coming off a strong season.
Weaknesses:
No real sprinters (Dumoulin?, Mondory?) and absolutely no sprint train.
Don't really have the budget to attract a superstar of the sport, and will rarely have the favourite in a race.
Betancur's fitness level, form and more importantly the media coverage it generates, must be distracting for the team.