Christophe Agnolutto

Christophe Agnolutto (born 6 December 1969) Paris. He dedicated himself to cycling when he met his wife, Mélanie, when he was 23. He turned professional the following year for Petit Casino, sponsored by a supermarket chain. He stayed with the team and its directeur sportif, Vincent Lavenu, through changes of sponsors.

Agnolutto won the 1997 Tour de Suisse after breaking clear on the second stage. The favourites didn't take up the chase and couldn't make up Agnolutto's lead afterwards. He said in 2001:

That win was stage seven of the 2000 Tour de France, taken in an early breakaway. It was France's first win in the Tour for two years, since Jacky Durand in 1998. He told his team-mates that morning what he planned to do and attacked three times at the start of the stage. On the third attempt he cleared the front of the race alone. He rode alone in the rain for 80 km of the 127 km from Tours to Limoges, getting up to 8m 20s lead.

Agnolutto rode the Tour five times and won nine races as a professional before retiring at the end of 2006.

Retirement Agnulotto lives in Pau and coaches the UN Pau Béarn. He studied for a Brevet d'État to open a school of sport and business and organises training camps for cyclists. He runs a cycle shop at Salies-de-Béarn and helps organise a bike ride named after him.

Tour de France 1997 - 94th 1998 - 31st 2000 - 66th, winner 7th stage 2001 - 120th 2002 - 144th

Major results

1996 – Petit Casino First year as a professional 1997 – Casino Overall and Stage 2 – Tour de Suisse (2.1) A Travers le Morbihan (1.2) 97th overall – Tour de France 1998 – Casino Stage 6 – Tour de Romandie (2.HC) 31st overall – Tour de France 1999 – Casino King of the Mountains – Tour de Luxembourg (2.2) 2000 – Ag2r Prévoyance Stage 7 win and 66th overall – Tour de France (2.HC) 2001 – Ag2r Decathlon 120th overall – Tour de France 2002 – Ag2r Prévoyance 144th overall – Tour de France 2003 – Ag2r Prévoyance 2004 – Ag2r Prévoyance 3rd overall – Tour de Wallonie (2.3) 2005 – Agritubel Stage 1 – Tour du Poitou Charentes de la Vienne (2.1) 2006 – Agritubel Retired at end of season