Info on the B&B Hotels-KTM team
Main sponsors: B&B Hotels, KTM
Industry: Hotel chain, bicycle
Manager: Jerome Pineau
Sports Director: Didier Rous, Yvonnick Bolgiani, Samuel Dumoulin, Jimmy Engoulvent, Gilles Pauchard, Jimmy Turgis, Steve Arbault
Current team bike: KTM Alto
Current jersey
B&B Hotels-KTM: Big goals, few victories
The team has no shortage of big goals: to make it onto the World Tour and one day win the Tour de France win - that is the vision of Jerome Pineau, team manager of the small Breton racing team. High standards are good for development, believes the ex-professional, who himself completed the Tour 13 times.
However, he now has to admit: "We're not in a good position, there's nothing to gloss over," says Pineau, explaining his team's lack of success with many Covid cases and bad luck. Internally, however, he has also "hit the table" and called for more fighting spirit. "Some riders lack the necessary discipline when they train alone at home. I expect more commitment."
Perhaps the lecture will have an effect in time for the season highlight? At the Tour de France, the team wants to show the offensive riding style that characterises it particularly in races in France. Last year, Franck Bonnamour earned the title of the most combative rider and thus the captain's role for this year. The climbing skills of Pierre Rolland and the finishing speed of Luca Mozzato give B&B at least an outside chance of a stage win - which would save the entire season's balance sheet.
The B&B Hotels-KTM Tour de France line-up
211 Franck Bonnamour
212 Cyril Barthe
213 Alexis Gougeard
214 Jeremy Lecroq
215 Cyril Lemoine
216 Luca Mozzato
217 Pierre Rolland
218 Sebastian Schönberger
The captain
While Alpe d'Huez winner Pierre Rolland is getting on in years and is no longer one of the best in the mountains, Franck Bonnamour has taken on the role of leader in the team. At the age of 27, he is now entering his prime racing years and wants to finally turn his many good results into a victory.
And why not directly at the Tour? Last year, he constantly rode at the front and was rewarded with the prize for the most combative rider at the end. "That was a great gift that I gave myself. And to be honest, I surprised myself," says Bonnamour, who showed his potential early on, for example as European U23 champion.
He comes from a small Breton village and is therefore the perfect figurehead for the Breton racing team, which has long-term plans for Bonnamour.
A portrait of the Tour de France teams
- AG2R-CITROËN TEAM
- Alpecin-Deceuninck
- Arkea-Samsic
- Astana-Qazaqstan
- Bahrain-Victorious
- BikeExchange-Jayco
- Bora-Hansgrohe
- Cofidis
- Team DSM
- EF Education EasyPost
- Groupama-FDJ
- Ineos Grenadiers
- Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert
- Israel-Premier Tech
- Jumbo-Visma
- Lotto Soudal
- Movistar
- Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl
- TotalEnergies
- Trek-Segafredo
- UAE Team Emirates
18 World Tour teams at the start of the Tour de France
18 of the 22 teams competing in the Tour de France 2022 have a World Tour licence, which means they are both entitled and obliged to take part in the Tour of France. Four teams belong to the Professional Continental Teams, the second division of international cycling.
The Alpecin-Deceuninck and Arkea-Samsic teams have qualified as the two best teams in this category from last year; the two French teams B&B Hotels-KTM and TotalEnergies have been given a wildcard by Tour organiser ASO. With eight participants per team, the 2022 Tour de France peloton will comprise a total of 176 riders.
