AG2R La Mondiale rider to compete in time trial, road race in place of Pinot
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Alexis Vuillermoz (AG2R La Mondiale)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx-QuickStep)
Romain Bardet made up for lack of quantity with a quality win for the French on stage 19(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Warren Barguil (Giant-Alpecin)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The French Cycling Federation (FFC) announced today that Alexis Vuillermoz will complete the country's team for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero, taking on the individual time trial in addition to the road race. The FFC also named Julian Alaphilippe for the time trial, which takes place on August 8, 2016.
Vuillermoz joins the already announced team of Romain Bardet and Warren Barguil from the country's reserve list. He replaces Thibaut Pinot (FDJ), who came down with a viral infection during the Tour de France and was forced to abandon the race and forgo the Olympic Games.
The 28-year-old Vuillermoz won the Rio test event last year, in addition to a stage in the Tour de France and the hilly Grand Prix de Plumelec-Morbihan one-day race, but this season suffered crashes in Paris-Nice and the Amstel Gold Race. He returned to form in time to support Bardet to his second place finish at the Tour de France this month.
Neither Alaphilippe nor Vuillermoz have any time trial wins on their palmares. They were selected over world championship bronze medalist Jerome Coppel and five time French time trial champion Sylvain Chavanel, as France appears to be putting its emphasis on the road race.
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