Vincent Lavenu, team boss at Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, has explained that Sam Bennett will effectively be part of a two-pronged attack at the Tour de France, but also with a cast of supporting riders capable of taking their own shot.
Bennett was named in the team's Tour de France line-up this morning - as expected, though not guaranteed. The line-up is arguably the most potent force this team has assembled for the Tour in many years, after refocusing its strategy this year to win races, which has paid off in spades since the start of the season.
Lavenu says for Bennett - who won two stages and the green jersey in the 2020 Tour - the task over the next three weeks is straightforward; win a stage. But he has also pointed to the other strings in the team's bow, including the general classification challenge Felix Gall can mount, especially after he placed 8th overall last year and won a stage.
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"We have a twofold objective going into this Tour de France," Lavenu said announcing the team on Monday morning. "Firstly, to confirm our performance last year in the overall classification with Felix Gall.
"Secondly, we're also looking for at least one stage win. Sam Bennett will be one of our best chances in the sprint finishes, but we also have other riders riders capable of raising their arms.
"I'm thinking of Dorian Godon and Paul Lapeira who, in the event of a small finish, can make their speed count. We're ambitious, with a great team and a very good climber like Felix Gall.
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"We've regularly achieved good results in the Tour de France, it's part of our identity, so we're going to fight for it, with a solid and motivated team."
The team currently has 26 wins so far this season, which is higher than the total for any full season since 2003. Much of that has been down to a refocus on where it should deploy its best riders.
Rather than sending them to the obvious biggest races hoping for the best possible result, they have been sent to races they can win. And as the victories began to be notched up, the growth in belief in the team has produced more wins and appears to be bringing out the best in younger riders.
As from Bennett, the two names Lavenu mentioned for possible stage wins - Godon and Lapeira will go into this Tour de France full of belief in themselves. Lapeira on Sunday won the French road race title, in Saint-Martin-de-Landelles after 240km of racing.
He has also won several other races this year including a stage at Itzulia Basque Country (2.UWT) and back to back wins in the French Cup; Classic Loire Atlantique (1.1) and Cholet Agglo Tour (1.1). While the Tour will be a huge step up for the 24-year-old, he had not won a race as a World Tour rider before this year and his French title win, in particular, is a major boost.
Godon is older, at 28 years, but his two stage wins at Tour de Suisse this year will give him confidence that he would be in with a chance in a sprint from a reduced peloton or, more like, from a breakaway on this year's Tour.
Meanwhile, Gall has a great chance to repeat or improve his general classification performance this time around. But he is not such a formidable force that he will mop of the team resources the other possible stage winners, including Bennett, meaning this looks like a good combination for the Irish rider.
