Samuel Dumoulin and Gastauer complete nine-man squad
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Ben Gastauer (AG2R La Mondiale)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
AG2R-La Mondiale's Sammy Dumoulin(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Ben Gastauer with his AG2R teammates(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Ben Gastauer (AG2R-La Mondiale) won the mountains classification(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
AG2R La Mondiale has confirmed that Samuel Dumoulin and Ben Gastauer will complete their line-up for the Tour de France following the French national championships. The French squad announced seven riders, including team leader Romain Bardet, earlier this week but were waiting until Sunday's national road race to decide the final complexion of the team.
Dumoulin, who finished fourth in the French road race, will be the team’s main hope on the flatter stages. It will be the 35-year-old's 12th appearance at the Tour de France since his debut in 2003 but his first in three years. Dumoulin has won just one Tour de France stage back in 2008, winning from a three-man sprint into Nantes on stage 3.
For Gastauer, it will be only his third ride at the Tour de France after first competing in it in 2014 where he finished 21st overall. The Luxembourg rider, who won the Tour Haut Var last season, will be vital support for GC hopeful Bardet.
The other riders that are already confirmed for AG2R La Mondiale are Bardet, Jan Bakelants, Mikaël Chérel, Cyril Gautier, Alexis Gougeard, Domenico Pozzovivo, and Alexis Vuillermoz. Vuillermoz showed that he is coming into good form by finishing third behind Arthur Vichot and Tony Gallopin in the national championships.
Bardet is the team's sole leader at the Tour de France this year, with Jean-Christophe Peraud having opted for the Giro d'Italia earlier this season. Bardet is looking to improve on his career-best finish of sixth at the 2014 Tour de France.
AG2R La Mondiale for the Tour de France: Romain Bardet, Jan Bakelants, Mikaël Chérel, Cyril Gautier, Alexis Gougeard, Domenico Pozzovivo, Alexis Vuillermoz, Samuel Dumoulin and Ben Gastauer.
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