The pre-selection to French national team for the upcoming World Championships in Ponferrada has been announced on Thursday, with Thibaut Pinot (FDJ.fr) and Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) being the biggest names missing on the published long-list.

It comes as no surprise, however, that both riders will miss this year’s World Championships road race. Pinot has just pulled out from the Vuelta a Espana on Wednesday due to illness, and visibly fatigued called it a season. Voeckler, on the other hand, it due to return to racing after fracturing collarbone last month in the middle of September what makes it impossible for the Europcar rider to reach optimal disposition for the Spanish event.

An initial pre-selection unveiled by the French Cycling Federation consists of 17 names and the final line-up is expected to be announced in just over a week’s time.

Preliminary French squad for the World Championships road race held in Ponferrada on the 28th of September consists of: Julian Alaphilippe, Romain Bardet, Blel Kadri, Lloyd Mondory, Jean-Christophe Péraud, Warren Barguil, Nacer Bouhanni, Geoffrey Soupe, Arthur Vichot, Sylvain Chavanel, Bryan Coquard, Cyril Gautier, Kévin Reza et Romain Sicard, Tony Gallopin, Arnaud Gérard.

The list is completed by three riders due to participate in the individual time trial held on September 24th: Sylvain Chavanel, Jerome Coppel, Jean-Christophe Peraud.