With the stage and overall victory at the Tour du Haut Var (2.1), Ben Gastauer (AG2R) celebrated the biggest success of his career in February. As he was unable to win later in the season, the balance was mixed for the Luxembourger.

"The season started in a great way with great my first professional victories. Unfortunately, the second half of the season was not good, "Gastauer told radsport-news.com.

The 28-year-old had especially big expectations for the summer. The Tour de France was the big goal for Gastauer. On the back of a second place in the road race of the Luxembourg Championships, the all-rounder traveled to the start in Utrecht.

But the Tour de France was over for Gastauer already after stage 11. The reason was a viral illness that had “hampered me all summer so that I could no longer find my best form," said the AG2R professional who was unable to achieve a single top 100 result after the Tour.

In his seventh season at AG2R, Gastauer wants to return to his winning ways. "I want to win another race and get my personal revenge at the Tour de France," Gastauer said about his goals for 2016.