Heading into this week's Tour de France, the French Ag2r-La Mondiale team will be looking to fill the void left by the departure of consistent Christophe Moreau with Cyril Dessel and Tadej Valjavec.

Moreau, who has consistently been the best French performer in the Tour the past few years, is now racing in Agritubel colors. Ag2r will instead be hoping Dessel can win a stage and Valjavec can pop into the top 10.

Dessel was seventh overall in the 2006 Tour, but said his top priority this year is trying to win a stage.

“I think it’s more important to win a stage in the Tour than finish in the top 10,” he said. “There’s a big difference between the top 10 and the podium, but everyone remembers if you win a stage.”

Dessel, 33, returned to winning ways this season, taking stages at Four Days of Dunkirk, Volta a Catalunya and the Dauphiné Libéré.

The team is hoping Valjavec, 31, can punch into the top 10 with a strong ride. The Slovenian climber quietly finished 13th overall at the Giro d’Italia and finished 16th in the 2006 Tour riding for Lampre.

The squad will have more stage-winning options with Vladimir Efimkin, winner of the Lagos de Covadonga stage in last year’s Vuelta a España. Spanish veteran José Luis Arrieta, Martin Elmiger and its slew of French riders will all have freedom to attack when the time is right.

French riders Hubert Dupont and Christophe Riblon secured the final two spots to round out the team’s nine-man squad for the Tour.

Ag2r-La Mondiale for the Tour de France
José Luis Arrieta (Sp)
Cyril Dessel (F)
Hubert Dupont (F)
Vladimir Efimkin (Rus)
Martin Elmiger (Swi)
John Gadret (F)
Stéphane Goubert (F)
Christophe Riblon (F)
Tadej Valjavec (Slo)