Bryan Coquard one of 15 riders to sign for new French Professional Continental team

Bryan Coquard is the biggest name of 15 riders heading to Vital Concept, a new French Professional Continental team set up by former professional rider Jerôme Pineau.

The new team takes Vital Concept as a principal sponsor after the agricultural manufacturer separated from Fortuneo shortly before the Tour de France. The addition of a secondary sponsor is expected to give the team a total budget of around €6 million.

Vital Concept will enter the sport at the second division Professional Continental level, aiming to secure a wildcard invitation to the 2018 Tour de France.

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Key to that ambition will be star rider Bryan Coquard, the French sprinter being the most well-known of 15 riders to have already signed up to the team, having departed by Direct Energie.

Julien Morice also joins from Direct Energie, while Marc Fournier, Kevin Reza, Johan Le Bon, and Lorrenzo Manzin all make the move from WorldTour outfit FDJ.

Steven Lammertink (LottoNL-Jumbo), Bert De Backer (Team Sunweb), and Kris Boeckmans and Jonas Van Genechten (Lotto-Soudal) are the other riders to join from WorldTour teams.

Yoann Bagot (Cofidis), Corentin Ermenault (Team Wiggins) Jérémy Lecroq (Roubaix-Lille Métropole), neo-pro Justin Mottier, and Quentin Pacher (Delko-Marseille Provence-KTM) are the remaining riders to have been signed so far, with Pineau hoping to add five more to create a 20-strong roster.