AG2R ready for French season opener

French team AG2R La Mondiale will open its road campaign at home on Sunday with the GP La Marseillaise, held in southern France. The race is traditionally held on the first weekend in February.

Julien Jurdie, directeur sportif of the team, indicated that the team was ready. "The objective is obviously to start the season positively and not to reproduce last year's debut. For that we will have to be present [on the front of the race] and not to miss the breaks."

Jurdie had full confidence in all of his riders. "We have a team with young riders, especially Guillaume Bonnafond and Jean-Charles Senac, who are motivated and who had a good winter training." And for the results AG2R has the established racers like Stéphane Goubert, Hubert Dupont and Christophe Riblon. "The mix of the two [groups] will allow is to contribute to the race and not just be spectators."

AG2R La Mondiale will send Guillaume Bonnafond, Hubert Dupont, Jean-Charles Senac, Julien Loubet, Blaise Sonnery, Stéphane Goubert, Christophe Riblon and René Mandri to the event.