At 37 years of age, Sylvain Chavanel is no longer the rider he once was. With a stage victory in the Etoile de Bessèges and a double success at his local race, the Tour of Poitou-Charentes where he won the time trial and the overall, the Direct Energie rider is still competitive and he will now start the final year of his current contract with manager Jean-Rene Bernaudeau. This does mean that this is his last season at the top level.

While still recovering from 2016 and planning to start the trainingin early December, Chavanel spoke about about his future with La Nouvelle Republique. 

 "I do not ask any questions and do not make any plans beyond,” he said. “To not get complacent, I have to think that it will be my last season. In my heart, I know I want to continue. But everything will depend on the physical level.”

A professional since 2000, the former French  champion will begin his 18th season at the highest level in a few weeks. He intends to continue and has even mixed up his road racing with the track for two seasons. Besides winning the individual pursuit at the Glasgow World Cup at the beginning of the month, the Frenchman envisages a return to the track in the beginning of next year where he could tackle the World Cup in Los Angeles and the Worlds in Hong Kong.