25 Facts About Christophe Moreau

For many years Moreau was the primary French contender for the general classification in the Tour de France: he finished in the top 12 in the GC five times and finished the race as best Frenchman in 2000,2003,2004 and 2005.

Christophe Moreau enjoyed success in the Criterium du Dauphine Libere, winning the race overall in 2001 and 2007.

Christophe Moreau was a time trialist early in his career which brought him the victory in the Tour de l'Avenir prologue.

Christophe Moreau finished the 1997 Tour de France in 19th place overall.

Christophe Moreau continued his progression the following year when he won the final time trial and overall of the 1998 Criterium International.

Christophe Moreau tested positive for anabolic steroids at the 1998 Criterium du Dauphine Libere.

Festina Team director Bruno Roussel defended Christophe Moreau by saying it was another member of the support staff who had deceived the cyclist and caused him to take the anabolic steroids.

Christophe Moreau returned to the 1999 Tour de France where he placed 3rd in the stage 8 individual time trial behind American Lance Armstrong and Swiss Alex Zulle and finished the Tour in the 25th place.

In 2001 and still riding for Festina, Christophe Moreau won the prestigious stage race the Criterium du Dauphine Libere.

Christophe Moreau took the lead on the fifth stage by only one second over Russian Pavel Tonkov.

Christophe Moreau was presented with the yellow jersey by two podium girls.

Christophe Moreau ended the Tour prematurely when he withdrew on the 12th stage.

Festina choose to end its sponsorship of a cycling team so Christophe Moreau joined Credit Agricole.

In 2002, in his first race of the season, Christophe Moreau crashed and broke his collarbone.

Christophe Moreau finished third overall in the Dauphine Libere behind the American teammates Lance Armstrong and Floyd Landis.

In 2003, Christophe Moreau won the Four Days of Dunkirk race before going on to finish 8th in the 2003 Tour de France.

At a pre season training camp in 2004, Christophe Moreau injured his knee which delayed his return to competition.

Christophe Moreau finished 11th overall in the 2005 Tour de France.

Christophe Moreau was expected to support his new teammate Francisco "Paco" Mancebo at the 2006 Tour de France who had finished the 2005 Tour de France in fourth place.

Christophe Moreau then lay in second overall 14 seconds behind the yellow jersey which he took back on stage six to win the race.

Christophe Moreau built up a great lead and won the championships with over two minutes over the second and third-place finishers.

Christophe Moreau started the 2007 Tour de France in good form and was in the top ten of the general classification after the first mountain stages of the Alps.

However, after a crash in the fifteenth stage, Christophe Moreau fell back in the general classification and rode one of the Pyrenean stages in the gruppetto, which is the part of the peloton for the riders who wish only to make the time limit imposed on a mountain stage to remain in the race.

In September 2007, Christophe Moreau, citing financial reasons, announced that he was leaving AG2R Prevoyance and was signing a one-year contract with Agritubel for the 2008 season.

On 17 July, during the 2009 Tour de France, Christophe Moreau signed with the Movistar Team team for 2010, after previously having said he would retire following the 2009 season.