AG2R Citroën confirmed extensions for five riders, with Oliver Naesen among four riders returning on two-year contracts. Also signing through 2025 are Geoffrey Bouchard, Paul Lapeira and Andrea Vendrame, with former US road race national champion Larry Warbasse extended for one season.
Naesen has been a mainstay with the French squad since 2017, racing the Tour de France all seven years. The Belgian road race champion in 2019, he has career podiums at Milan-San Remo and Gent-Wevelgem, and last season took second overall at the 4 Jours de Dunkerque stage race.
“I am continuing the adventure with the team in a different role from the one I have had over the last seven seasons. Of course, the classics period will remain an important highlight of my season where I will have the desire to shine. Things have evolved a bit in recent years at the highest level and I want to approach the start of the season differently. My work as a team member with our leaders will be more present,” the 33-year-old said about his evolving role on the team.
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The French WorldTour team had earlier confirmed Clément Berthet, Benoît Cosnefroy, Felix Gall and Nans Peters through 2025. Exiting at the end of this season are Clement Venturini, who moves to Arkéa-Samsic), as well as a trio of riders who announced retirement - Greg Van Avermaet, Mikaël Cherel and Michael Schär.
Bouchard and Warbasse moved to AG2R Citroën in 2019. Both have been mainstays on Grand Tour squads, Bouchard earning the KOM title at the Vuelta a Espana in his first year with the team and then at the 2021 Giro d’Italia. Warbasse has been a workhorse for AG2R at one-week stage races and five Grand Tours, including the 2021 Giro where Vedrame won stage 12.
“I enjoy my role as captain of the team. We have many young riders and it is a great pleasure for me to pass on and share my knowledge. This will already be my 12th year as a professional,” Warbasse said.
“I want to continue to do my best to help our leaders perform at the highest level and also seize my opportunity when it presents itself.”
Vendrame and Lapeira are among the newer acquisitions, Vendrame moving from the ProTeam level in 2020 and Lapeira taking a spot from the AG2R club team. The lone Italian on the squad this season, Lapeira won a stage of the Giro two years ago and this season had podiums at Trofeo Laigueglia and the Muscat Classic. Just 23 years old, Lapeira won his first pro race for AG2R in his first season at Il Piccolo Lombardia and took second on a stage at UAE Tour last season.
“This wave of contract extensions is an important moment in the building of the AG2R Citroën Team for future seasons. If new faces are going to join us, seeing these riders continue within our structure is essential. They are the glue of the team. All are part of our history and are the guarantors of our philosophy,” said Vincent Lavenu, general manager of AG2R.
Going into the final weeks of the 2023 season, AG2R Citroën is ranked 18 in the UCI World rankings, holding a solid lead over two other WorldTour teams, Arkea-Samsic and Astana Qazaqstan. The team will conclude their European road calendar for 2023 at Il Lombardia on October 7 and Paris-Tours on October 8, followed by the final stage race at Tour of Guangxi from October 12-17.
