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FDJ (FDJ) - FRA

Thibaut Pinot’s solo mountain stage win at Porrentruy in last year’s Tour de France, followed up by tenth overall, represented a breakthrough moment for French cycling and the 22 year-old. Could this be the arrival of the new Grand Tour star that the country had been waiting for so long?

2013 may well confirm Pinot’s newfound Grand Tour status, but there may well be more in store for France’s well-established FDJ squad in the upcoming season. The World Under 23 Champion in 2011, Arnaud Demare’s first full professional season had victory in Germany’s premier one-day race, the Vattenfall Cyclassics in August, as its highpoint. He also took wins in the Tour of Qatar, the GP Cholet and Memorial Samyn. Like Pinot, Demare will be keen to prove that 2012’s success story was due to far more than beginner’s luck.

FDJ have plenty of other irons in the fire too. Pierrick Fedrigo’s Tour stage victory at Pau, the third of his career, was another major success for FDJ and a timely reminder that the veterans in the squad still have a lot to say. Nacer Bouhanni scored another big win for FDJ at the French National Championships, where the ever-consistent Jérémy Roy picked up silver in the National time trials, a specialty in which he never fails to shine.

Whilst FDJ are hoping that the departure of Belarus sprinter Yauheni Hutarovich will be filled by that of Brazilian fast man Murilo Fischer, with Fischer the only non-French rider in their 2013 line-up, FDJ’s strong emphasis on fostering home talent remains as clear as clear.

With so much climbing on offer in the Tour de France, Pinot is certain to have a second top performance in July as his big goal, whilst Démare has already announced that he will make his debut in Milano-Sanremo, the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. After 24 wins and 48 podium places in 2012, FDJ appear ready to raise the stakes yet again in 2013.