Romain Bardet ready to face Criterium du Dauphine
May 30 2018 03:56 am CET
Photo of Romain Bardet by www.tdwsport.com
Romain Bardet of AG2R La Mondiale is ready for the upcoming Criterium Du Dauphine, where he will lead his team in preparation of the Tour de France.
With riders normally choosing between the Dauphine and the Tour de Suisse, Bardet has always had a clear preference for the French race and has prepared at altitude in order to be ready.
"After taking a good break, I headed to Sierra Nevada to take part in my usual altitude training camp, which I finished on May 27th," Bardet said. "And just like every year, it was a great time of hard work, and sharing some good moments with the riders and staff who were there. And we put in some quality riding. It’s an important moment in the year, and not only from a physical point of view, as I approach the Dauphiné with a lot of motivation."
The Frenchman is excited to take part in the Dauphine for the fifth time in a row, having achieved top-six spots in the previous four editions. In 2016, he even finished second behind Chris Froome.
"It’s a fantastic race, and acts as much more than just a launching pad for the Tour. Doing well there is definite validation of the level of a rider and his team. The 2018 route is very selective, with important moments such as the team time trial stage, and the final days that will be nervous and very demanding. I am anxious to get back to racing."
The full AG2R La Mondiale line-up for the Criterium du Dauphine (June 3-10):
Romain Bardet
Axel Domont
Tony Gallopin
Alexis Gougeard
Pierre Latour
Oliver Naesen
Alexis Vuillermoz
SUBSCRIBE TO RSS FEEDS