 | TEAM FACTFILE Nationality: French Manager: Jean-Rene Bernaudeau Best Tour: 2001 - Francois Simon 6th |
Last year question marks were made about the French team's inclusion in the race, under their former name Brioches la Boulangere. They had been included with Joseba Beloki heading them up, but he quit the team altogether and nothing more was expected of them.
Enter Thomas Voeckler who was an inspiration, continually defying the odds as race leader for a time.
With Richard Virenque now retired, France have a new darling to cheer.
Voeckler, though, will know more support will be needed from his team if he is to make another impact a year on.
A generally young team, there is both experience and talent in the likes of Laurent Brochard and Jermone Pineau.
Brochard has been there or thereabouts all season. His results have included 13th in the Milan-San Remo, 14th in the Liege-Bastogne-Liege and 19th overall in the Tour of Romandy.
This French outfit has been known under an array of guises as their sponsors have changed.
Their best effort, however, came when known as Team Bonjour when then leader Francois Simon finished sixth.
Since then, Didier Rous managed 20th in Paris in 2003, while Voeckler was an impressive 18th last year and team-mate Chavanel was 37th.
MMIX
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