After several near misses, AG2R finally got what they wanted. The team has been a protagonist in all the biggest stages and has finished second three times already in the race. So it was about time the team was rewarded for its hard work.
On Stage 16, Cyril Dessel out sprinted the world’s best for a much deserved victory. The stage was, on paper at least, the hardest of the Tour. It traversed the highest paved road in Europe and had a total of 11,000 feet of climbing. Dessel attacked on the final descent into Jaucier on the dicey, narrow mountain road. Dessel’s attack was all the more impressive considering several riders crashed down the mountain.
In addition to getting the win, Dessel pulled teammate Valjevec into the top ten overall. At one point during the race, Valjavec was the virtual leader on the road. AG2R sits in second place in the team standings. The team rides G4 and Connect, the same bikes you can own.
