"He’s a sure bet for the team for the general classification. He gets stronger every year and is among the best in the world in the stage races," said the team's general manager Vincent Lavenu of the 24-year-old.
This year’s Tour route is loaded with mountains and it is there where the general classification men, provided they make it through a tricky opening portion of the race, will fight it out for overall honours. Bardet is very much at home in the mountains and will have support in those stages from Mikaël Chérel and Alexis Vuillermoz.
The 28km team time trial on stage 9 is also likely to provide a GC shake-up and is an area where AG2R look a little light on the ground. They finished in 13th in the 24km Dauphiné TTT, where Bardet lost a minute. Patrick Gretsch, who was fourth in the individual time trial at the Giro d’Italia in May, will be there for the Tour stage to limit the damage. Ben Gastauer and Johan Vansummeren round out the rest of the support team.
The final two members of the line-up will be confirmed on 29 July following national championships. Domenico Pozzovivo, who crashed out of the Giro, has impressed on his return to racing at the Tour de Suisse, finishing second on queen stage to the Rettenbach glacier, but will not figure in the line-up.
Lavenu has high hopes for his subjects and wants to replicate the success of last year’s Tour, when the team had a two riders in the top 10 - including Peraud's podium finish - a stage win and top spot in the team's classification.
"The last couple of weeks have proved our worth as a team and confirmed the value of the work we’ve done, particularly during our training camp at altitude at the Col du Lautaret," he said. "But we are all aware that the Tour is a unique test that is difficult and unforgiving, and one that must be undertaken with a generous amount of humility."
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
AG2R-La Mondiale for the Tour de France: Romain Bardet, Mikaël Chérel, Ben Gastauer, Patrick Gretsch, Jean-Christophe Péraud, Johan Vansummeren, Alexis Vuillermoz.
To subscribe to Cyclingnews video channel, click here.
Cyclingnews is the world's leader in English-language coverage of professional cycling. Started in 1995 by University of Newcastle professor Bill Mitchell, the site was one of the first to provide breaking news and results over the internet in English. The site was purchased by Knapp Communications in 1999, and owner Gerard Knapp built it into the definitive voice of pro cycling. Since then, major publishing house Future PLC has owned the site and expanded it to include top features, news, results, photos and tech reporting. The site continues to be the most comprehensive and authoritative English voice in professional cycling.
