French rider Aurélien Paret-Peintre reacts to his brother's departure from Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale: "It's a big challenge for him"

Aurélien Paret-Peintre, one of the key riders for Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, is gearing up for what promises to be an exciting 2025 season after a great year for the team in 2025. Speaking at the team's official presentation in Lille, Paret-Peintre opened up about his brother Valentin's departure from the team, his own objectives for the coming year, and the evolution of the team he has been part of for eight years.

Paret-Peintre reflected on the change within the family dynamic as his younger brother Valentin left Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale to join Soudal – Quick-Step. Despite the adjustment, Aurélien expressed his support for his brother’s new challenge.

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"My brother's departure this year is a change, it's a little weird," he admitted to Cyclism’Actu. "But there you go, in my way of cycling, training and racing every day, it's not going to change anything. It's a big challenge for him. It's definitely a challenge, so I think he's going to enjoy it too."

Looking ahead to 2025, Paret-Peintre revealed that the Tour de France will be a central focus of his season.

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"There will be several important points," he explained. "Obviously, we can already talk a little bit about the Tour de France, with the Grand Départ in Lille which will be important for us, our partners, Decathlon and Van Rysel. Doing a better Tour de France than last year will be one of the points to really improve for this season. And in 2025, I want to come back to the Tour."

Having been with Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale for eight years, Paret-Peintre is now one of the senior members of the squad. He reflected on his role in mentoring younger teammates and fostering a strong team dynamic.

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"I am one of the oldest," he noted. "There are a lot of young people coming up. It is both exciting to be able to find very good young riders alongside us and it is also challenging. We want to be able to help them, guide them so that they perform. That is the strength of the group, having promising young people and experienced riders, to make a little bit of a homogeneous group."

Paret-Peintre also discussed the evolution of Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, acknowledging how the team has adapted and changed over the years.

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"A lot of things have changed," he said. "I don't know if I expected it or not, it was a need. It is a necessity, currently, in cycling, to really restructure the teams properly, to become more professional, more international. So there you go, let's say that we are evolving with our times, our sport, which evolves every year. So, I am rather happy with the direction the team is taking."