The Cofidis team are ready to tackle their 22nd Tour de France but they haven’t won a single trophy since Sylvain Chavanel was stage 19 winner and the super-combative of the 2008 edition. New team manager Cédric Vasseur who took part in the race ten times as a rider (stage winner and yellow jersey wearer in 1997) and ten times as a TV expert commentator left sprinter Nacer Bouhanni out of the line-up. “The team used to be exclusively at his service”, Vasseur explained. “This year, we have opened opportunities to other riders and we’ve already collected seventeen victories with eight different riders this year. We want to win at least one stage in this Tour.” Christophe Laporte is the designated unique sprinter. Before winning six races this year, he had only two wins under his belt in his four pro seasons: the Tour de Vendée in 2015 and 2017. He’s no stranger to imposing himself in La Roche-sur-Yon. “This place here brings me luck”, the Frenchman said. “The pleasure of working for Cofidis is back”, outlined veteran sport director Alain Deloeuil who has been with the team since its inception in 1997. “We’re to make people dream.” The squad also relies on up-and-coming punchy rider Anthony Turgis who came second in the French championship on Sunday.
