Cyril Dessel (AG2R La Mondiale) put in a heroic effort to win the stage. (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
France's AG2R La Mondiale named today the nine riders it will take to the Tour de France, July 4 to 26. Ireland's Nicolas Roche will help support team leaders Russian Vladimir Efimkin and Frenchman Cyril Dessel.
Roche, Efimkin, Dessel, Spaniard José Luis Arrieta, Italian Rinaldo Nocentini, Frenchmen Hubert Dupont, Stéphane Goubert, Lloyd Mondory and Christophe Riblon are the nine riders. Frenchmen Ludovic Turpin and John Gadret are reserves.
AG2R La Mondiale won two stages in the 2008 Tour de France. Dessel won stage 16 to Jausiers and Efimkin won stage nine to Bagnères-de-Bigorre, after Riccardo Riccò's disqualification for doping.
The team also announced that Dupont, 28, has renewed his contract. He joined AG2R in 2006 and his new contract will see him ride fro the team through 2011. (GB)
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