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STAGE 1: TEAM OF THE DAY: AG2R-LA MONDIALE
June 24, 2008
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AG2r-La Mondiale
Registered Nation: France
Bicycles: BH
Components: FSA, Campagnolo, Mavic
Key Riders: Sylvain Calzati, John Gadret, Cyril Dessel
Title Sponsors: Ag2r Group, which is a French-based insurance and supplementary retirement fund group.
La Mondiale is a French-based international group for supplementary pension and estate planning insurance.
In 1992 Vincent Lavenu, just retired from pro cycling created a small cycling team with Chazal as the main sponsor. Chazal stayed as title sponsor from 1992 to 1995. In 1996 Petit Casino, a chain of coffee shops in Casino supermarkets took over the sponsorship of the team and in 1997 Casino, assumed the sponsorship of the team. This allowed the team to compete in larger races like the classics. Alexandre Vinokourov and Jan Kirsipuu became the teams main riders during this period.
In 2000 the insurance company Ag2r Prevoyance became the main sponsor of the team. In 2006 the Team joined the UCI Protour by signing top riders Franciso Mancebo and Christophe Moreau. Despite Mancebo being named in Operation Puerto the team justified their inclusion in the Protour by winning a stage of the Tour de France and enjoyed a day in the Maillot Jaune with Moreau.
In 2007 Moreau returned to form, wining the French Championships and Dauphine Libv©rv© and riding strongly on the first mountain stage of the Tour. But Moreau crashed on the road to Montipeller, and the Astana team drove the race to the finish leaving Moreau minutes behind. For 2008 Moreau has moved to the Agritubel team, leaving AG2r to chase stage wins in the 2008 Tour de France with Cyril Dessel and gc hopes on Vladimir Efimkin.
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