The farm-boy racer
Alexis Renard is a rider who is going to burst onto the racing scene in a big way. It isn’t a question of if, but when for this 21-year-old from Brittany, France.
We knew he was a promising talent when we recruited him from Cotes d’Armor, the team that nurtured his skills for years. His performance in his (and our) first Vuelta a España proved that when it comes to him, promises are fulfilled. Dan Martin can attest to how solidly he performed, even on the climbs, which are not the Frenchman’s cup of tea.
“It gave me a lot of confidence,” said Alexis, who is now going into his second season with an eye to the classics. “My real dream is to win some classics one day.”
Confidence and talent were noted in our training camp rides here near Girona. “He is so eager to learn and to go hard,” said Sep Vanmarcke, who will be our leader in the classics. “He reminds me of me when I was much younger!”
Between races, Alexis returns to Brittany, often working on his father’s milk farm. “I’ve got a lot of experience feeding and taking care of the cows,” he smiles.
