Decathlon AG2R heads to Vuelta a España with strong team: "The route suits our squad well"

Sporting director Cyril Dessel described the selection as an "attractive, solid" team. "Ben O'Connor will be the leader and Felix Gall the co-leader, with the aim of finishing in the top 5 overall. They will be leading a well-armed team, with riders having an interesting profile both as a team player and as a contender for stage victory," he said, referring to riders like Bruno Armirail. Belgian rider Sander De Pestel will be making his grand tour debut.

"The route of this Vuelta is difficult and mountainous," Dessel added. "It's a Tour for climbers and baroudeur climbers, which suits our squad well. The riders team is approaching the race with a lot of motivation and enthusiasm. They have prepared well in Tignes. All lights are on green," he said with confidence.

O'Connor is set to begin his final race as a Decathlon rider before moving to Jayco AlUla next season. "I didn't take part in the Tour de France because I had a baby daughter, so I had time to prepare for the Vuelta. I live in Andorra, where I did a few intensive weeks. I'm feeling good, in good health and ready to tackle the second half of the season. My aim is to race like I have all year, to be in the top five overall. I'm also hoping to win a stage after having already lifted my arms in the Giro and Tour de France."

"This will be my last Grand Tour with the team, so I want to finish on a high note and give it everything I've got right up to the end to give back to my teammates, who will help me achieve a good overall position. I hope we'll have something to celebrate in Madrid, it'll be a special moment."

Co-leader Gall, with his climbing profile, also has high hopes for the Vuelta. "I took a break a week after the Tour de France and went to Austria for a bit, which did me good. Since then, I've been training well and I'm ready for my first Vuelta, which I'm really looking forward to. It's the first time I'm going to link these two races together, so I'm highly motivated. I'll be there to support Ben, who is aiming for the general classification. I'll also be concentrating on the stages. There are a lot of mountains on the schedule, which suits my profile."

Ben O'Connor
Felix Gall
Sander De Pestel
Victor Lafay
Bruno Armirail
Geoffrey Bouchard
Clément Berthet
Valentin Paret-Peintre