Vincent Lavenu
«A competitive and cohesive team»
«We will start the Tour de France in Bilbao with high ambitions for our leader Ben O'Connor. His third place in the Critérium du Dauphiné confirms that he is one of the best climbers in the world. With him, we want to achieve the best possible overall ranking. Ben already finished fourth in the Tour de France in 2021 and we know he is capable of playing a leading role again.
We are convinced that, given the level of performance he has shown in recent weeks, he can bring us immense satisfaction over the next three weeks.
Three climbers will be around him to support him in the mountains, and we know that his teammates will be able to guide him, especially on the flat stages. Obviously, a stage victory will also be one of our objectives. Our team is competitive and consistent, ready to perform in the world's greatest race. We will need to be very focused from the start of this 110th edition in the Basque Country before returning to the mountains, our greatest arena. We will have the privilege of riding for six days on the roads of the Alps that we love so much. It will inevitably be a special moment for the entire AG2R CITROËN team. We are determined to shine in front of our supporters.»
Clément Berthet
25 years
first participation
«Clement is about to discover the Tour de France, where he will have to grasp the magnitude of the event. He continues to improve, as he proved in the Tour de Suisse, where he finished in 11th place after supporting Felix Gall in the mountains. His role will be to accompany Ben O'Connor for as long as possible in the climbs. He is a young man capable of competing with the best climbers, which is why he will be very valuable to our team.»
Benoît Cosnefroy
27 years old
13 professional victories
5th participation
Best results: 20th in a stage (2021) and wore the best climber's jersey for 15 days (2020)
«We know that Benoît is capable of competing with the world's best riders. He has already proven this by winning major classics such as the GP de Québec last year and the Bretagne Classic in 2021. What's more, some of the stages of the Tour are tailor-made for his punching power. Benoît is a guy who knows how to bring his teammates together and motivate them, making him a valuable asset to the team.»
Felix Gall
25 years
1 professional win
first participation
«Felix is making his debut in the Tour de France, where he hopes to give his best. He is a climber who continues to raise his level, as confirmed by his stage victory in the Tour de Suisse and his impressive performance in the Tour of the Alps last April. He will be there to support Ben O'Connor in the mountains, but also to seize his chance and try to win stages.»
Oliver Naesen
32 years old
5 professional victories
8th participation
Best result: 4th place in stage (2019)
«Oliver will be Ben O'Connor's guardian angel on the flat. He has a knack for reassuring the leaders, who place their complete trust in him. What's more, he showed us at the Critérium du Dauphiné that he was well and truly back, and in very good shape. His cheerful disposition is also a valuable asset to the team.»
Ben O'Connor
27 years old
third time participating
Best results: 4th in the overall classification (2021) and one stage victory (2021)
«Ben O'Connor will be our leader at the start of this Tour de France. He is in very good physical and mental shape. His third place in the Critérium du Dauphiné showed that he is performing at a very high level. His preparation has been optimal, with a training camp in Sierra Nevada and reconnaissance of the stages of this 110th edition.e edition over the last few days. Everything is looking good for achieving the best possible overall ranking!»
Nans Peters
29 years old
3 professional victories
third time participating
Best result: One stage victory (2020)
«We are counting on Nans to battle it out in breakaways when the opportunity arises. He is a very strong rider who likes to be at the front, as he has shown us by winning stages in the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia and the Trofeo Laigueglia this season. He will also be invaluable in supporting our leader at strategic moments.»
Aurélien Paret-Peintre
27 years old
3 professional victories
third time participating
Best results: 15th overall (2021) and 7th in a stage (2021)
«Aurélien has reached new heights, already raising his arms in victory twice at the start of the season. His stage win and 15th place in the Giro confirmed his talent. He arrives at the start of the Tour de France confident and highly motivated after recovering well from the first part of the season. He will be there to support Ben and will also try to seize his chance when the opportunity arises. We know that the start of the 14th stage in Annemasse will be a special moment for him as he will be on home turf. His knowledge of the Alpine passes will also be invaluable to the whole team.»
Stan Dewulf
25 years
1 professional win
2nd participation
Best result: 17th in stage (2022)
«Stan is a rider who follows instructions to the letter and works for the good of the team. He does invaluable work behind the scenes, as he did in the Tour de Suisse when Felix won. He was at the front of the pack to provide support, and it worked perfectly. He is capable of sacrificing himself for his leaders and also knows how to guide them on the flat to help them avoid any pitfalls.»
The information
The AG2R CITROËN team featured in the Tour de France advertising caravan
For the third consecutive year, the AG2R CITROËN team will be present in the Tour de France advertising caravan. This project, born out of the shared desire of the team and its title partners, aims to engage with the Tour de France audience and strengthen its connection with spectators.
On this occasion, 100,000 terry cloth wristbands will be distributed along the 3,404 kilometres of the Tour de France. The AG2R CITROËN team has chosen to offer a useful item that can be reused by everyone for all activities. It features a small pocket with a zip, ideal for storing keys during a hike or bike ride.
The two vehicles that will be travelling the roads of France are: a Citroën C5 Aircross Plug-in Hybrid and a Citroën Jumper fitted with a Caselani Type H kit in the team's colours.
9
The figure
The AG2R CITROËN team has won nine stages in the last ten editions of the Tour de France.
In 2022, Bob Jungels won stage 9 in Châtel. Ben O'Connor raised his arms in victory on stage 9 in Tignes in 2021. Nans Peters won stage 8 in Loudenvielle in 2020. Romain Bardet won three stages: the 12th stage in Peyragudes in 2017, the 19th in Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc in 2016 and the 18th stage in Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne in 2015. In the same year, Alexis Vuillermoz won the 8th stage at the summit of Mûr-de-Bretagne. Blel Kadri shone in 2014 during the 8th stage in Geradmer. Finally, Christophe Riblon won the 18th stage at Alpe d'Huez in 2013.
