Romain Bardet will move to Sunweb in 2021, leaving Vincent Ravenu's AG2R La Mondiale after nine seasons. The Frenchman has signed a two-year contract with his new team.

"I am very happy to sign with Team Sunweb. When I considered my options outside of my current team, it was really important to me to find a team that would be progressive and work with the latest technology in equipment and other areas." We also wanted a team that had a clear vision for the sport and was a member of the MPCC."

Bardet turned pro with AG2R La Mondiale in 2012 and finished on the podium at the 2016 and 2017 Tour de France, but in recent months rumors of a move away from the team have abounded.

AG2R La Mondiale revealed Monday morning that it had acquired Olympic champion Greg Van Avermaet from the CCC team, and minutes later, Sunweb officially announced that it had signed Bardet to a two-year contract.

"We are very excited to have Romain join our team. He is a great player who brings a lot of potential, versatile qualities, and a Parma of his own. After talking with us, we know that he will give it his all and is very eager to reach his full potential." And he is eager for our specialists to work with him to focus on improvement so he can reach his potential.

Sunweb will move Tom Dumoulin to Jumbo Visma before the 2020 season, and it has been reported that Sam Omen and Wilco Kelderman could leave the team in 2021. With the addition of Bardet, Sunweb now has a rider with an excellent pedigree in the Grand Tours, but both the team and the newcomers stressed that they have no specific three-week race in 2021 in mind at this time.

"We will work hard early in the season, focusing on the Classics, and then evaluate and plan the next block, including which Grand Tours to tackle and with what goals," Spekenbrink said.

After struggling in the past two Tour de France, Bardet had planned to skip La Grande Boucle in 2020 to race the Giro d'Italia and the Tokyo Olympics, but a revised UCI calendar due to a coronavirus outbreak forced him to change those plans. Bardet will compete in the Tour on August 29, but his GC ambitions are modest.

"With Team Sunweb, I have the opportunity to start without any specific expectations or specific races as goals," Bardet said. 'Instead, I will focus first on the basics and fundamentals and dedicate myself to improving in many different areas as an athlete.' This opportunity came at the right time in my career and I am very eager to start working with the team and the promising riders."

Bardet will team up with former AG2R teammates Nicolas Roche and Nico Denz at Sunweb, and the 2021 roster will also include Michael Matthews, Tige Benoot, and Chad Haga.

Bardet was forced to miss the Mont Ventoux Dénivelé Challenge after crashing at Route d'Occitanie last week, but will be back in action at the Critérium du Dauphiné on Wednesday for his eighth time at AG2R La Mondiale and He is expected to return for his eighth and final Tour de France appearance.

Bardet finished 15th in his debut in 2013 and moved up to 6th the following year; he took a stage win in Pla-Roux in 2015 and finished 2nd in 2016 behind Chris Froome.

Bardet took his third stage win in Peyragude in 2017, outpacing Froome in the mountains, but dropped back to third overall in the final time trial to Marseille; he finished sixth in 2018 and 15th last year, despite winning the mountains title in Paris. Bardet, a native of Bride, also won a silver medal at the 2018 World Championships and reached the podium with Strade Bianche and Liège-Bastogne-Liège during her time with AG2R.

"I want to express my gratitude to my current team AG2R La Mondiale for helping me grow until now," Bardet said. 'My time with them will always hold a special place in my memories.'