Pierre Rolland has made the Tour de France his main goal for the 2015 season. Having finished fourth in the Giro d'Italia and 11th in the Tour in 2014, the Frenchman sees the mountainous course as a perfect opportununity to shine.
According to L'Equipe, Pierre Rolland has finalized his schedule for the first half of the 2015 season. The Frenchman will start at the GP Marseillaise and Etoile de Besseges before he heads to Spain for the Vuelta a Andalucia. Back in France, he will ride the Classic Sud Ardeche and Paris-Nice before he returns to Spain for the Volta a Catalunya. He will use Paris-Camembert and Circuit Sarthe to prepare for the Ardennes classics Amstel Gold Race, Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege even though his participation in the Dutch race is still uncertain. Then he will do the Criterium du Dauphiné as his final preparation race for the Tour de France.
In 2014, Rolland made his debut in the Giro and was very close to a spot on the podium, having only been surpassed by Nairo Quintana, Rigoberto Uran and Fabio Aru. However, he was below his usual level in the Tour. He was the revelation of the 2011 Tour when he won the Alpe d'Huez stage and the white jersey of best young rider and finished 10th overall. In 2012, he won the mountaintop finish in La Toussuire and finished 8th overall while he wore the mountains jersey in 2013 but could only manage 24th in the overall standings. At 28 years of age, he hopes to return to his best in the French race after having been overshadowed by younger riders Romain Bardet and Thibaut Pinot and veteran Jean-Christophe Peraud. His contract ends at the end of 2015 where he will again be one of the Europcar leaders alongside Thomas Voeckler Europcar and Bryan Coquard.
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