Orbea's Julien Absalon is prepared to defend his French national championship title on Saturday in the town of Cher Chevalier. Absalon has previously won the title seven times.
He is extra motivated this time around because if he wins the title, he will finally be able to race in the national championship jersey. "I haven't been able to wear it because I was U23 and elite world champion." He was the elite champion for the past four years, from 2004 to 2007, until last month when Christoph Sauser took the 2008 title in Val di Sole, Italy.
