The AG2R-Citroën team is betting on Ben O’Connor to aim for “the Top 5” in the Tour de France (July 1-23) where the Australian will be surrounded by three climbers and experienced riders like Benoît Cosnefroy, according to the team announced Monday.
“Our leader will obviously be Ben O’Connor, he achieved a great Dauphiné which he finished third. He is a boy who is in good shape and who we can count on, ”said team manager Vincent Lavenu during a video press conference. O’Connor, fourth in the Tour in 2021 and who had retired from injury last year, will be surrounded by three climbers, Felix Gall, Clément Berthet and Aurélien Paret-Peintre, “road captain” and stage winner on the Giro .
“Experienced, solid boys” like Nans Peters, 5th in the French Championships on Sunday, the Belgians Oliver Naesen and Stan Dewulf, as well as Benoit Cosnefroy complete the selection. “Benoît is one of our leaders. Even if he has not always been successful on the Tour, we know that we can have good surprises with him. He’s a high-flying puncher, ”insisted Lavenu. Among the absentees are the 2016 Olympic champion Greg Van Avermaet, “in difficulty in the mountains on the Dauphiné while the Tour route is extremely difficult”, as well as Dorian Godon and Franck Bonnamour who will be respectively first and second substitute, in the event of glitch by the start on Saturday in Bilbao.
AG2R-Citroën’s selection for the Tour de France: Ben O’Connor (AUS), Felix Gall (AUT), Clément Berthet (FRA), Aurélien Paret-Peintre (FRA), Nans Peters (FRA), Oliver Naesen ( BEL), Stan Dewulf (BEL), Benoit Cosnefroy (FRA)