Wanty-Groupe Gobert will take part in the Criterium du Dauphiné, ASO announced this morning. It’s the first time the Belgian procontinental team, starting its seventh season in the pro ranks this year, starts in this WorldTour stage race.  
 
General manager Jean-François Bourlart naturally was very happy with the news he received from France this morning.
 
“It’s a huge honour for the team and its sponsors. To receive an invitation to such a prestigious race as the Dauphiné is a recognition from ASO for the work we do and the evolution Wanty-Groupe Gobert experienced. It’s a strong signal and motivates the riders, staff and sponsors to go even further.
 
As a team Wanty-Groupe Gobert has been a welcome guest in ASO races like Paris-Roubaix, Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège for years. This year the team leaves for Qatar and Oman for the first time in its history.
 
"It is a big step forward for the team that we receive a wildcard for the Criterium du Dauphiné. This race is traditionally the waiting room for participation in the Tour de France. It is therefore very important that we show ourselves in this year's Dauphiné with regards to next year's Tour de France,”  Hilaire Van Der Schueren reacted.
 
Enrico Gasparotto is one of the more experienced riders of Wanty-Groupe Gobert. The Italian knows the level of the Dauphiné, especially because this is the last testing race before ‘big brother’ Tour de France kicks off a few weeks later.
 
“This is all about experience. We have a lot of young guys on the team and this is a fantastic chance for them to compete against the biggest riders in the world. It is not easy to get results in the Dauphiné because the Tour de France riders are testing themselves and the race is really hard but Wanty-Groupe Gobert will ride agressively as always,” the former Amstel Gold Race winner reacted. 

"This is the chance we were waiting for since we joined Wanty-Groupe Gobert last year," CUBE marketing manager Chris Archer responds.

"We want to measure ourselves against the best teams in the world. As a technical supplier to the team it's important to gain experience in these races at the highest level of global cycling."