Benoît Cosnefroy leads AG2R with goal of revalidating Bretagne Classic title

Saturday, 27 August 2022 at 08:30

AG2R Citroën Team have not been having an easy season with their leaders, but they're looking to turn that luck around at anytime, and the Bretagne Classic will be a big goal for the French team who come in with several cards to play.

Team DS Nicolas Guillé said of the team's ambitions: "We will start the Bretagne Classic with big ambitions. Benoît (Cosnefroy) is the defending champion and he showed good form at the Tour du Limousin, so our ambition is legitimate". After winning the race in 2021 beating Julian Alaphilippe in the final sprint, Cosnefroy will come as a big contender to the explosive race. After a decent sprint with second places at Amstel Gold Race and Brabantse Pijl he struggled with form over the summer and had a disappointing Tour de France, but is recovering his form.

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"He will have a very good team around him with experienced guys like Mikaël (Cherel) as well as Oliver (Naesen), who has won this race twice (2016 and 2018). The Bretagne Classic is an open race where everyone races very aggressively," Guillé added: "We will have to wait for the final start list to see exactly how we will race, but we will be among the favored teams and the objective will be to take the victory".

Naesen, who also had a disappointing Tour, will be another rider to eye as will Aurélien Paret-Peintre and Stan Dewulf who are strong puncheurs in this type of terrain. The team will also have some expectations in Clément Venturini who is the type of sprinter who can get over the hilly terrain and can be a dangerous rider for the finale. Valentin Retailleau - who almost won a stage at the Vuelta a Burgos, his first race with the team - and Mikaël Cherel complete the lineup.

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AG2R Citroën Team for Bretagne Classic: Benoît Cosnefroy, Mikaël Cherel, Stan Dewulf, Oliver Naesen, Aurélien Paret-Peintre, Valentin Retailleau and Clément Venturini.