Bryan Coquard has revealed that he chose to sign for new French Pro Continental team Vital Concept ahead of Quick-Step Floors because he did not want to play second fiddle to Fernando Gaviria and miss out on selection for the 2018 Tour de France. The nascent Vital Concept outfit will, of course, first have to earn a wildcard invitation to the Tour, but assuming the squad is at the start in the Vendée next July, marquee signing Coquard will lead the team and target the sprint finishes. Coquard was left out of Direct Energie´s team for this year´s Tour after he informed manager Jean-René Bernaudeau of his intention to leave at the end of the season. The Frenchman said that Lotto Soudal, Cannondale-Drapac and Bahrain-Merida were among the teams chasing his signature, but he whittled the choice down to Quick-Step Floors and the new Vital Concept team managed by Jerome Pineau.ADVERTISEMENT `I was in contact with several interesting and interested teams,` Coquard told L´Équipe. `I weighed up the pros and the cons. In the end, there were two teams left who had very different profiles, which made it a complicated choice. The other option was Quick-Step, a solid team with a good calendar and a sprint culture that corresponded to my profile. `But I would have been the number two sprinter behind Fernando Gaviria. I suffered a lot when I wasn´t selected for the Tour this year, and in going to Quick-Step, I would have been almost certain not to do it. Next year, there is a start in La Baule, near my home, and that played a part too. We´re not sure of being there, but I have more chances of doing it...` Gaviria won four stages at the Giro d`Italia this year, and the youngster`s presence at Quick-Step helped to persuade Marcel Kittel to leave for Katusha-Alpecin for next season because despite claiming of five stages at this year`s Tour, he was not guaranteed the sprinter`s berth for the 2018 race. Quick-Step Floors has since confirmed the arrival of Elia Viviani from Tea ...
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