Paris (AFP)
The Arkea-Samsic team announced Wednesday the recruitment of Nacer Bouhanni for the next two seasons and the creation of a pole sprint around the former champion of France.
Bouhanni, 29, leaves the Cofidis team after five ambivalent seasons. A former stage winner at the Giro and Vuelta, he has had no success this season.
"For me, it's a new beginning," said Vosgien. "I'm going to start the next season as if I have not won anything, I have not asked to come with staff or runners."
The team led by Emmanuel Hubert, who plays in Continental Pro (2nd division), has also recruited Thomas Boudat (Total Direct Energie), former world champion in track omnium.
In addition to Boudat (25 years old) who has committed for the next two years, the British Daniel McLay (27 years old, Education First), a former member of the house, and two young Belgians from the Vlaanderen team, Christophe Noppe (24 years old) ) and Benjamin Declercq (25), were also committed for the last kilometers
A sixth reinforcement, the Polish wheeler Lukasz Owian (29, CCC), has also been announced by Arkea-Samsic who intends to appear "as a WorldTour team", in the words of Emmanuel Hubert.
"70% of the races are sprinting, we have to strengthen ourselves in this area, Nacer Bouhanni will be our number one sprinter, he has tremendous qualities, he has had two difficult years, he has to regain confidence and create a complicity with his launchers. ", explained the team leader.
"We have recalled Dan McLay to help him in the final straight and we want to be competitive on many fronts, so Thomas Boudat will have all the freedom to express himself," added Emmanuel Hubert.
© 2019 AFP