AG2R CITROËN Team (Italy) - Press Release: "A young team, behind a unique leader" - Laurent Biondi, sports manager.

"We will be at the start of the Giro d'Italia with a young team, behind a unique leader: Aurélien Paret-Peintre.

His goal will be to achieve the best overall classification possible. We hope to see him in the top 15 and even close to the top 10 if the race goes well.

He will be able to count on two experienced riders with Mikaël Cherel and Lawrence Warbasse. Alex Baudin, Paul Lapeira and Valentin Paret-Peintre will race their first big tour. Finally, Nicolas Prodhomme and Andrea Vendrame have already shown their quality on the three weeks races and will be important elements of the team.

All of them will be at Aurélien's service but will also work in the quest for a stage victory. We know how to do it and it will once again be a major objective for the AG2R CITROËN team at this Giro d'Italia.

It should be noted that, in consultation with the team's sports management, Felix Gall, who was initially scheduled to take part in the first grand tour of the season as he did last year, will concentrate on a more specific preparation for the Tour de France (July 1-23) and is now among the riders likely to take part in the Grande Boucle in July."