Romain Bardet and Jean-Christophe Peraud will line up together for the first time when they take to the start of the Vuelta a Andalucia as the leaders of Ag2r-La Mondiale. The race will also mark Jan Bakelants make his European debut with his new team.

In 2014, Romain Bardet and Jean-Christophe Peraud formed a very dangerous duo in the Tour de France and the French pair are expected to again ride together in this year's edition of La Grande Boucle. However, they will already be lining up together for the first time in February when they lead Ag2r in the Vuelta a Andalucia.

With two big summit finishes and a short time trial, the Spanish race is a perfect test for the French stars. For Peraud, it will be the first race of the season, meaning that he will skip the Tour Mediteraneen where he has traditionally enjoyed lots of success. Bardet will be doing the one-day race GP la Marseillaise before he travels to Spain.

The race will also mark Jan Bakelants' European debut with his new team after the Belgian has done his first racing kilometres at the Dubai Tour. Together with Christophe Riblon and Blel Kadri, he will support Bardet and Peraud in the hard terrain.

Sebastien Turgot will use the race to prepare for the cobbled classics and may mix it up in some of the sprints. The team is completed by loyal domestique Sebastien Minard.

The Vuelta a Andalucia has attracted a formidable line-up as Nairo Quintana, Chris Froome and Alberto Contador are all set to ride.