Romain Bardet to join Sunweb in 2021 after eight years with Ag2r-La Mondiale
Romain Bardet has signed a two-year deal with Sunweb that will see the Frenchman join the German squad in 2021, it was announced on Monday.
Bardet, 29, has ridden for French team Ag2r-La Mondiale throughout his entire career during which time he has won three Tour de France stages and twice finished on the podium — in 2016 and 2017 when he was second and third respectively.
“I am very happy to have signed for Team Sunweb. When considering options outside my current team, it was really important for me to find a team that works progressively, involving the latest technology in equipment and other domains,” Bardet said in a Sunweb statement.
“At Team Sunweb I have the opportunity to start with no specific expectations or a specific race to target. Instead we will focus first on the basics and the fundamentals, working hard and with dedication to improve on all different areas as an athlete — after this we will look to race schedules and goals.
“This opportunity comes at the right moment in my career and I am very motivated to start working with the team and its group of very promising riders. I want to express my thanks to my current team Ag2r-La Mondiale, who helped me to develop until now, my time with them will always have a special place in my memories.”
Iwan Spekenbrink, Sunweb general manager, added: “We are very excited that Romain joins the team. He is a great rider who brings many possibilities, versatile qualities and a very respective palmarès. Our talks together have shown that he is very dedicated to give it his all and get the most out of his potential, and he is eager for our specialists to work with him to focus on improvements so that he can reach that.
“He will be a great addition for the team in a multitude of races; with him we strengthen our block of current options in the finales and tactically have multiple scenarios to try to win. It will be hard work, with some classics in the first part of the season and then we’ll assess and plan the next block, including deciding which grand tour to tackle, with which goals.
“He comes from a respectable, professional environment at Ag2r-La Mondiale, who have done a very good job with Romain and we hope and believe to keep building on that.”
After initially opting to ride the Giro d'Italia this year, Bardet's race programme changed following the coronavirus pandemic and he is expected to line up for Ag2r-La Mondiale at the Tour de France, which gets under way in Nice on August 29.
Meanwhile, Greg Van Avermaet has joined Ag2r-La Mondiale ending his 10-year association with Jim Ochowicz at BMC Racing and CCC.
“I am happy and motivated to start a new adventure,” Van Avermaet said in a statement. “I have just spent 10 beautiful years in the structures of Jim Ochowicz and I am embarking on a new challenge.
“I am happy that [Ag2r-La Modiale general manager] Vincent Lavenu has shown such confidence in me, and I intend to give my best in order to achieve great results. The prospect of working with Oliver Naesen, with the goal of winning classics, is particularly exciting.
“My goal is always the same: to win races like the Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix, stages of the Tour de France or wear the yellow jersey for as long as possible.”
