Ag2r-La Mondiale continue the reinforcement of their squad for the 2014 season. Having already strengthened its classics roster by signing Damien Gaudin and Sebastien Turgot, the team has no also added time trial specialist Patrick Gretsch to the roster.

German time trial specialist Patrick Gretsch will join Ag2r-La Mondiale for the 2014 and 2015 seasons. The Argos-Shimano rider has signed a contract that will see him move to the French team at the end of the season.

Gretsch is mostly known for his outstanding abilities as a time triallist and finished 2nd behind Tony Martin in the German championships earlier this year. Last year he won the prologue of the Vuelta a Andalusia and finished 6th in the final time trial of the Tour de France.

Besides his ability as a time triallist, he has played an important role in the lead-outs of his Argos-Shimano team and it is those two attributes that have attracted the interests of his new employer.

"I spotted Patrick Gretsch last year due to his good results in the individual time trials in the Tour de France," manager Vincent Lavenu sayd. "He has excellent qualities in time trials but he is also able to lead out our sprinters and to keep our leaders in the front end of the peloton. We were looking for a rider with this kind of profile and Patrick will certainly be an extra asset to our 2014 team.”

With the signing of Gretsch, Ag2r-La Mondiale continue their reinforcement for next season that also includes classics specialists Damien Gaudien and Sebastien Turgot and neo-pro Alexis Gougeard. On the other hand, sprinters Anthony Ravard, Valentin Iglinskiy and Manuel Belletti and climber John Gadret have all been told that their contracts won't be renewed.