Team Cofidis signs Jerome Coppel and extends with Rein Taaramae
UCI Professional Continental side, Team Cofidis made two important announcements on Wednesday, August 3 2012.
The French team has decided to include Jerome Coppel in its 2013 squad and also extended Rein Taaramae’s contract for the sixth consecutive season.
Coppel started his professional pursuit with Team Francaise des Jeux in 2008 and spent a period of two-years with the team.
He penned a three-year deal with Team Saur-Sojasun in 2010 and helped the team with numerous victories in the past seasons.
The 25-year-old occupied the top overall position and a stage win at the Etoile de Besseges 2012 and also managed the third overall position at the Vuelta a Andalucia.
He occupied the 13th overall position during the Tour de France 2011 but could not really find the right form for the 2012 edition of the race.
“When there’s hard attacking, I get a bit asphyxiated,” Coppel said.
“At the Galibier and Alpe d’Huez last year, I blew straight away, but afterwards, when I got into a rhythm, I made up the ground on a lot of people”.
“I climb like a rouleur, but if I manage myself well at the foot of the climb, I’m capable of following the leaders for a long time”.
“In another year, 13th place would have made me the first Frenchman. But if people didn’t talk about me, it’s because French cycling had a super Tour,” he concluded.
On the other hand, extending with Rein Taaramae will also help Team Cofidis with the strength it needs for the 2013 season.
Rein is with the French side since the start of his professional career back in 2008 and has served the team with a number of top performances in the past five years.
The 25-year-old marked his fifth Grand Toru appearance with the team at this year’s Tour de France and finished the race at the 36thoverall position after the final general classifications.
His best position at the race came during the 2011 edition of the Tour when he managed to secure the 11th overall position at the three-week race.
Taaramae’s occupied the first overall position during the National Time Trial Championships along with a second overall position at the Vuelta a Andalucia and third at the Etoile de Besseges 2012.
The addition of the Rein Taaramae and Jerome Coppel will certainly help the professional continental team for the 2012 season.
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