Chavanel heads strong French team for worlds

Hoping to improve on what has already been his most successful season to date, Sylvain Chavanel will head to the world championships in Varese, Italy as the captain of a strong French team. He will also ride the time trial according to Belgian news site sporza.

Chavanel broke through as a strong classics contender this year after long being touted as the next French winner of the Tour de France. He took wins at Dwars door Vlaanderen and the Brabantse Pijl – his first attempt at both races – before capping off his spring campaign with a stage win at the Tour de France.

Chavanel's Cofidis team-mates Stéphane Augé and Amaël Moinard will join him at the worlds as faithful lieutenants.

Top French cyclo-cross rider John Gadret (Ag2r-La Mondiale) – who is currently riding the Vuelta a España – will make his road world's debut for France, while Geoffroy Lequatre (Agritubel) may well play a wild card role. Lequatre was recently crowned the winner of the Tour of Britain, taking the race after a stage long break away.

Current French road race champion Nicolas Vogondy, was also named for the team, and will no doubt prove to be a valuable resource for Chavanel, one capable of being a strong contender in his own right.

French team for the World Championships: Stéphane Augé, Sandy Casar, Sylvain Chavanel, John Gadret, Christophe Le Mevel, Geoffroy Lequatre, Amaël Moinard, Jérôme Pineau, Nicolas Vogondy.