Fifteen riders of Bretagne-Séché Environnement will be at the start of the French road race championships in Chantonnay (Vendée). On a circuit regarded as difficult, they will support Pierrick Fedrigo, winner in 2005 and second in 2007, winner of this year’s Cholet-Pays de Loire and leader of the Coupe de France PMU. 

But every rider will dream about a personal achievement. Several also have the means to deliver.  Despite missing Jean-Marc Bideau and Benoit Jarrier, Bretagne-Séché Environnement carries real ambitions this year. 

Each of the fifteen riders speek about their sensations.
 
PIERRICK FEDRIGO (French champion in 2005, leader of the Coupe de France): "It's such a strange race. I immediately remember my title of 2005. It was decided in the final lap. Laurent Brochard, my teammate at Bouygues Telecom was ahead and was about to win the race. And five kilometers from the finish, Christophe Faudot, my director, told  me to attack! Laurent had cramps. I remember asking thousand questions in seconds and then I went. I had good feelings last week at the Route du Sud. But again, the championship is so special." 

KEVIN LEDANOIS (10th in the European Games road race): "You can’t win much that is more beautiful. And then we will ride in Vendee so I will almost be at home. I feel that the race at the European Games in Baku was a very good preparation."  

ARNAUD GERARD (3rd in the prologue of the recent Tour of Luxembourg): "The championship is one of the best races of the year. The winner walks away with a jersey that he will wear for twelve months ... I just hope to have better sensations than I had in Thursday’s time trial (28th at 3'37'')."

ANTHONY DELAPLACE (2nd at the GP de la Somme, 8th at the French TT championships): "I dream to be in the fight for the win in the finale and listen to La Marseillaise on the podium. But the team ambition is to win the championship with the team. I've never experienced that since I turned pro. It must be a great feeling."   

FLORIAN VACHON (8th in the Tour of Luxembourg): "Whenever you win the championship, it's a defining moment. You go into history of French cycling. My dream: to take a solo win. My ambition: to play for the win in the final lap."  
 
JONATHAN HIVERT (nine Top 10 results this season): "It remains a dream to win, but the championship is at a time of year where I'm set back by my allergies. So I have very bad results in this race: I have only finished one since my debut in 2006. But who knows? "

ARMINDO FONSECA (3rd in Saint-Gaudens at the Route du Sud last week): “This is really special, only the win is important as it gives you the jersey. In the end I hope to be on a good day because you can’t have a bad day if you want to be with the best.” 

PIERRE-LUC PERICHON (9th in the Tour des Pays de Savoie):  "It means a lot. It's the only race of the year where all French riders are gathered. You always want to do well and then anything can happen. It also marks the beginning of the second half of the season and there is a selection for the Tour to earn. I hope to bring my contribution to help the team win the jersey.” 

BRICE FEILLU (9th in the Four Days of Dunkirk):  "Being at the start is enough to have a chance to win. So obviously there is a big pressure and a big desire. But the circuit in Chantonnay suits a guy like Pierrick Fedrigo better. I will be at the service of the team."

CHRISTOPHE LABORIE (4th in the Route Adélie):  "This is a special race, very intense, very long and often very hard. It leaves opportunities. Whoever wins is not always the strongest. To take the blue-white-red jersey is the dream of any rider. I often imagine scenarios for the race in the week before and that isoften to my advantage.”

FREDERIC BRUN (5th in the Tour de Pays de Savoie) : "There will be no surprise, the demanding course in Chantonnay and distance will suit a strong man. I will do everything to make it a win for Bretagne-Séché Environnement." 

MAXIME CAM (on the attack on Croix-Fry in Pays de Savoie): "It is a very special race because it will be my first championship with the pros. It will be a difficult race given the course. But one never wins by chance.”

ROMAIN FEILLU (winner of the Route Adélie): "It is a special race. The title is accessible with my skills but not on a difficult course like the one in Chantonnay. The climb near the finish is too much for me. I will try my luck next year and I dedicate this year to riders who are capable of winning. That is already very enjoyable!"

FLORIAN GUILLOU (29th in the Tour des Pays de Savoie): "I like the heat but I already remember a race in Chantonnay in 2010 that was already in the heat. It'll be very hard. But I like it." 

MATTHIEU BOULO (11th in the Boucles de la Mayenne in early June) : "Chantonnay is a great memory: my first championship in the pros, and I was in the breakaway! I'm at a point in the season where I need a break. But I dream of bringing a guy like Pierrick to the top in the finale. It offers us the happiness of having blue-white-red jersey."

Bretagne-Séché Environnement has seventeen French riders in its roster, but two will be absent on Sunday in Chantonnay. Jean-Marc Bideau just resumed training after having to overcome contracted mononucleosis again after he first suffered from the illness in 2009. Benoît Jarrier crashed last Saturday at the Route du Sud and has his left arm in a sling.

Of the three foreign riders, only Yauheni Hutarovich will do the national championships in the Belarusian city Mazyr, between Minsk and Kiev. He will try to defend his jersey. Eduardo Sepulveda prepares his debut in the Tour de France in the Pyrenees. Dan McLay takes a break after a very hard start to the season and will skipthe British championship. 

Emmanuel Hubert, general manager of the team, and the sports staff of Bretagne-Séché Environnement will reveal the names of the last three riders for the Tour de France (July 4 to 26) on Monday. The first six selected riders are Eduardo Sepulveda, Anthony Delaplace, Pierrick Fedrigo, Brice Feillu, Arnaud Gerard and Florian Vachon .