If end-of-the-season-signings are anything to go by, the Ag2r-La Mondiale team has made its intentions clear for the 2014 season by virtually depleting rival team Europcar of their Cobblestone Classics specialists Sébastien Turgot and Damien Gaudin. Both French riders have signed three-year contracts with Ag2r.

Turgot may not be the most prolific winner in the peloton but he does possess a more than decent finish, which, combined with his unassuming consistency, make him more than suitable for the Ag2r team as they attempt to boost their Classics aspirations. Turgot was runner-up in the Paris-Roubaix last year (beating Ballan to the spot) and was eighth in this year’s Tour of Flanders. So far, the Ag2r squad has made little, if any, impact in the cobbled Classics but with the inclusion of Turgot in the squad the team’s prospect of success has been substantially enhanced.

Surely, Turgot will be looking to continue his quest to become the first French conqueror of Paris-Roubaix since Frédéric Guesdon won the race back in 1997.

At Ag2r Turgot will once again join forces with his close friend, current Europcar teammate and sometime Madison partner Damien Gaudin. The potent Gaudin won the prologue of Paris-Nice this year and also took the Cholet-Pays de Loire, and topped off his spring campaign by impressively finishing 5th at Paris-Roubaix. The latter is likely to be the race where Gaudin will be searching for glory as he appears to be a notch too heavy for the more undulating challenges in the Tour of Flanders.