Valentin Retailleau, member of the AG2R CITROËN U23 team, reigning French U23 champion and 3rd in Gent-Wevelgem U23 on Sunday 27 March, will turn professional with the AG2R CITROËN team on 1 August. His contract will last until 2024.
He had been a trainee in the AG2R CITROËN team from August to October 2021.
Valentin Retailleau: "It's an accomplishment
" " I am very happy to turn professional with the AG2R CITROËN team. After six years in the training program, it's an accomplishment. I would like to thank the team for the trust it has placed in me over the years and at least until 2024.
My internship with the team from August to October 2021 went very well and we managed to find an agreement to join the team in August 2022. This allows me to finish my studies (a bachelor in business school) before devoting myself completely to cycling. I'm looking forward to meeting up with my old friends from the AG2R CITROËN U23 team and getting to know my new teammates. I want to learn as much as possible from those who have more experience and continue to progress."[/su_quote]
[su_quote cite=Vincent Lavenu]
Vincent Lavenu: "An exemplary course
"In view of his exemplary career over the last few years in the training program, Valentin (Retailleau) has a legitimate place in the AG2R CITROËN team. In parallel to his university studies, he has made progress in sports and has obtained excellent results such as his title of French U23 champion or his recent third place in the U23 Nations Cup at Gent-Wevelgem. Valentin has a very interesting puncher profile. We noticed his talent and his ability to blend in the group during his training period last year.
The signing of this contract is another tribute to the work done by our two training structures and to the concept of this program, which is to reach the professional level by having reached the end of the university course."[/su_quote]
In brief:
Born on June 18, 2000 (21 years old)
Native of Oradour-sur-Glane (Haute-Vienne), lives in Chambéry (Savoie)
French U23 champion in 2021
Winner of the first stage and third overall of the Tour de Bretagne (2.2) in 2021
3rd in Gent-Wevelgem U23 in 2022
The number
30
Valentin Retailleau will be the thirtieth rider of the 2022 AG2R CITROËN team. After Clément Champoussin, Benoît Cosnefroy, Anthony Jullien, Paul Lapeira, Aurélien Paret-Peintre, Valentin Paret-Peintre, Nans Peters, Nicolas Prodhomme and Antoine Raugel, Valentin Retailleau will be the tenth rider from the AG2R CITROËN U23 team.
With Geoffrey Bouchard, Paul Lapeira, Valentin Paret-Peintre, Nans Peters, Antoine Raugel, Damien Touzé and Clément Venturini, Valentin Retailleau will be the eighth rider from the AG2R CITROËN U19 team. In total, he is the 25th rider to join the AG2R CITROËN U23 team. The first was Blaise Sonnery in 2007.
The news
Valentin Retailleau, a pure product of the training program
Valentin Retailleau has been on the AG2R CITROËN team roster since 2017. He completed two seasons in the AG2R CITROËN U19 team (2017-2018) and has been in the AG2R CITROËN U23 team for four years (2019 to 2022).
