Two year deal sees return of past Tour de France stage winner
After five seasons with the Cofidis squad, French puncheur and fast finisher Samuel Dumoulin has decided to head back to the Ag2r La Mondiale team.
The 31 year old previously competed with the team for four years but then left at the end of 2007. His move to Cofodis coincided with him taking his biggest career win, a stage in the 2008 Tour de France; since then he has also won stages in the Vuelta a Catalunya, the Tour du Limousin, the Etoile de Bessèges, the Tropicale Amissa Bongo, the Circuit de la Sarthe, the Tour du Haut Var, as well as the GP dell’Insubria and this year’s GP d’Ouverture La Marseillaise.
While he is one of the smallest riders in the peloton at 1 metre 59cm/63 inches, he is quicker than many bigger competitors and has a very rapid finish.
“His puncher qualities, his speed and his experience make him a serious candidate to win in each race which he takes part,” said the team, announcing his return. “He should play a major role in the team next season.”
In addition to riding there in the past, Dumoulin has additional reason to consider the team as like family; he is married to the team’s former press officer Magalie Lavenu, the daughter of team manager Vincent Lavenu.
The Ag2r La Mondiale team is rejigging things next season. One of its leaders, Nicolas Roche, is moving to Saxo Bank Tinkoff Bank, while top ten Gent-Wevelgem finisher Steve Chainel (FDJ-Big Mat), Sky Procycling’s Davide Appollonio and Acqua e Sapone’s Carlos Alberto Betancur Gomez are coming on board.