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Pierre Rolland leaves Europcar for Cannondale-Garmin

French rider can challenge for polka dot jersey at Tour, says Jonathan Vaughters

Pierre Rolland, winner of the best young rider classification and the Alpe d’Huez stage at the 2011 Tour de France, is to join Cannondale-Garmin with team manager Jonathan Vaughters saying he believes the rider can win the mountains classification at the Tour de France.

The 28-year-old French rider joins the UCI WorldTour outfit from Professional Continental team Europcar whose general manager, Jean-René Bernaudeau, has said he has a replacement sponsor lined up with the deal with the car hire firm ending this year.

News that Rolland, who also won a Tour de France stage to La Toussuire in 2012 and has finished in the top 10 of his home Grand Tour on three occasions and fourth in this year’s Giro d’Italia, comes the day after it was confirmed that Ryder Hesjedal is leaving Cannondale-Garmin for Trek Factory Racing.

– Ryder Hesjedal joins Trek Factory Racing

Irish rider Dan Martin, currently third overall at the Vuelta, is also expected to leave the US-registered team at the end of the season.

Rolland, who comes from Gien in the Loire Valley, said: "I am very honoured by the trust placed in me by Cannondale-Garmin and am determined to ride well for them. This is truly a great opportunity for me, and I am very excited for 2016."

– Pierre Rolland relishes Alpe d'Huez win

Vaughters believes that Rolland can challenge for the King of the Mountains title at the Tour de France – something bound to delight fans of the polka-dot jersey, given the way the rider accessorised it with just about everything he could when leading the classification in the 2013 edition of the race.

Pierre Rolland in polka dots and then some (licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0 by Marianne Casamance)

Vaughters said: “Pierre is a rider that shows determination, style and panache year after year. He rides in the style of big gear, head up and always attacking.

“That style is something I respect and admire about Pierre. I believe that for all of his talent, he still has untapped potential.

“We hope to bring some work in aerodynamics and a bit of fresh air to help him maximize that potential, while retaining that panache and style that make him the great rider he is.

“He is a rider who I believe can one day win the polka dot jersey and is an exciting addition to our 2016 line-up.”

He added: “We have an exceptionally talented roster of young riders; what we need to continue to build is leadership for the young guys by giving them experienced riders that they can learn from to better harness their own talents – and Rolland brings that in spades.”

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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Simmo72 | 9 years ago
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I've never seen him as a GC winner, too prone to bad days but then I wouldn't have said 5 years ago that Froome would ever be a tour winner so what do I know  1

It will be interesting to see how he develops in this team. I expect there will be some opportunities, but also some cultural changes

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G-bitch | 9 years ago
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LOL - good point above, but that aside it's good to see a big name French rider going to a foreign team. The big French talents are seemingly just a bit too comfortable and haven't recognized the potential of going abroad to better funded/better organised teams that may be able to offer them a higher level of support both in training and in terms of team-mates in GT's. Imagine Romain Bardet in a couple of years with big-budget team firepower behind him!

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jollygoodvelo | 9 years ago
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Are you a rider who's been touted as a GC winner for five years but always mysteriously loses ten minutes somewhere along the way complaining of allergies, the wrong kind of sun, mysterious maladies or other miscellaneous excuses? You too can lead Garmindale in a Grand Tour!

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Flying Heron | 9 years ago
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Potential statement of intent from Garmin. Would like to see some designs on GC rather than opportunist stage winners. Good on them

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