Valentin Paret-Peintre has reportedly caught the eye of Soudal-QuickStep following a standout spring season. The 23-year-old Frenchman, currently with Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, is expected to join the Belgian team as they aim to bolster their climbing squad around Remco Evenepoel. According to Het Laatste Nieuws, the transfer is nearly finalised, with Paret-Peintre’s contract at AG2R expiring at the end of the season.
Recent Achievements
Paret-Peintre, now in his third professional year, is the younger brother of Aurélien Paret-Peintre, who won a stage of the Giro d’Italia last year. This season, Valentin has made his mark by winning stage 10 of the Giro d’Italia at Bocca della Selva’s summit, where he outperformed notable riders like Romain Bardet and Jan Tratnik. In addition to this victory, he secured second place on the penultimate stage over Monte Grappa, finishing two minutes behind Giro winner Tadej Pogačar. Last month, Paret-Peintre finished fourth overall at the Tour of the Alps.
Strengthening the Team
With Soudal-QuickStep keen on building a robust team around Evenepoel, Paret-Peintre is viewed as a valuable addition. He will join a support squad that already includes Ilan Van Wilder, Mauri Vansevenant, and Mikel Landa. The team aims to provide Evenepoel with the necessary support for upcoming races, especially as he prepares for his return at the Critérium du Dauphiné from June 2-9.
At Decathlon AG2R, changes are also on the horizon. Ben O’Connor is expected to decide on his future with the team soon. Meanwhile, Austria’s Felix Gall is set to lead AG2R at the Tour de France after an impressive performance that saw him win a mountain stage to Courchevel and finish eighth overall.
Evenepoel’s Return
Remco Evenepoel will be back in action at the Critérium du Dauphiné, supported by teammates like Landa, Van Wilder, Casper Pedersen, James Knox, Antoine Huby, and Gianni Moscon. This will be Evenepoel’s first race since the mass crash at Itzulia Basque Country in April, which involved Jonas Vingegaard and Primož Roglič. Despite his return, Evenepoel has mentioned that he isn’t aiming for a high general classification placing ahead of the Tour de France.
