AG2R La Mondiale rode away from the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré with a stage win and sixth overall by Cyril Dessel and second place in the overall team classification. The team was aggressive throughout the race with stars Dessel and Vladimir Efimkin proving they have good form at just the right time of year. The Dauphine travels many of the same roads as the Tour de France and for that reason is the premier race before the Tour. All of the main contenders were there, which bodes well for AG2R heading into July.
Dessel is a former Tour stage winner and looks to be on good form this year. Efemkin is red-hot as well. Climber John Gadret was ill during the Dauphine, but look for him to combat for the King of the Mountains competition. Riders like Nocentini, Riblon and Mangel will look to mix it up for stage wins as well. Though many in the team are unknown to US enthusiasts, AG2R look to be the best they’ve been in a few years. Though they lack a strong overall contender, they likely will compete for the overall team prize.
