Saturday's EuroFile: Bénéteau calls it quits; Dessel, Gerrans for Tour Down Under
Without any new offers since the end of his contract with Bouygues Telecom at the end of 2006, Walter Bénéteau has decided to retire.
The 34-year-old Frenchman turned pro in 2000 when he joined the newly formed Bonjour team. He has raced his entire pro career for current Bouygues boss Jean-René Bernaudeau.
Bénéteau has finished every Tour de France since turning pro and raced the Giro d'Italia-Tour double in 2005 and the Vuelta a España-Tour double last season.
Dessel, defending champ Gerrans target Tour Down Under
Cyril Dessel, who wore the yellow jersey for a day during the 2006 Tour de France, will begin his season in Australia during the Tour Down Under January 16-21, according to his Ag2r-Prevoyance team.
Dessel will be joined by defending TDU champ Australian Simon Gerrans, Swiss Martin Elmiger and Frenchman Samuel Dumoulin.
The remainder of the team will attend training camp January 9-18 at l'Isle sur la Sorgue, except for John Gadret, who is racing cyclo-cross.
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