TEAM PROFILE Nationality: French Manager: Jean-Ren� Bernaudeau Team leader: Didier Rous Best Tour: 2001 - Francois Simon 6th

Many considered the French team lucky to get in ahead of world champion Mario Cipollini's Domina Vacanze outfit after failing to ignite the race a year ago.

And the wildcard entries look set to struggle on paper.

Didier Rous should lead the team's overall ambitions but, at 33, may find it a trip too far.

They failed to take a stage win or get a rider in the top 30 overall but their riders continued to battle throughout with a string of high finishes on various stages.

Jerome Pineas was the highest-placed rider on a stage with his second to Patrice Halgand on stage 10, while Damien Nazon impressed many of the world's best sprinters with third at the race climax on the Champs-Elysee.

Emmanuel Magnien, Franck Renier and Francois Simon were also among other top-10 finishers on various stages.

Some of the Brioches la Boulangere team have fared marginally better in some of the major races to date this season than 12 months ago.

Nazon is the highest finisher to date, with his 13th place in the Paris-Roubaix.