Nacer Bouhanni is said to be in the form of his life according to his coach Jacques Decrion as Bouhanni attempts to be picked for the Tour de France.

And Decrion is not just talking up Bouhanni, Bouhanni is proving his coach right as he showed in the first mountain stage of the Route du Sud, where he finished third to solo winner Jesus Herrada and was narrowly beaten in a sprint by Alejandro Valverde.

“With the results that he got at the Giro, he is as strong as ever,” Decrion told L’Équipe. “Mentally he is very strong also. I think that it is not just four victories (three stages and the points competition) that he has emerged with. He took a fifth when he made it through the mountain stage in the snow with the Stelvio and Gavia.”

Bouhanni will find out tomorrow night if he has made the team or not as Marc Madiot makes his decision after the Route du Sud and Tour de Suisse finish.

Normally, Bouhanni would be guaranteed a place on the Tour team but his spat with fellow teammate and fastman Arnaud Demare may cost him his place in the team despite his great shape.

Bouhanni has been training hard but Decrion knows there is still a chance he may not be picked and he is keen to emphasize that whatever Madiot’s decision is, Bouhanni must keep his head up.

“He has no other choice but to wait for the decision,” says Decrion. “He respects the management and he will have to accept it if it is not favourable.”