Full name Pierre Rolland Rider type Climber 2007–2008 Credit Agricole Role Bicycler Weight 71 kg | Discipline Road 2005 Super Sport 35 Name Pierre Rolland Height 1.84 m | |
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2006 Credit Agricole (stagiaire) Spouse Marion Chandemerle (m. 2014) Current team Team Bbox Bouygues Telecom Competitors Similar People Thomas Voeckler, Alberto Contador, Andy Schleck, Thor Hushovd, Franco Pellizotti Profiles | ||
Pierre Rolland (born 10 October 1986) is a French professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam Team Europcar.
Cycling career
Born in Gien, Rolland turned professional in 2007 for Credit Agricole after riding for the team as a stagiaire in late 2006. In his first season as a professional he won stages at La Tropicale Amissa Bongo and the Tour du Limousin. In 2008 he won the Mountains classification at the Criterium du Dauphine Libere. At the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, Rolland competed in the road race but he did not finish. In 2010 he won a stage at the Circuit de Lorraine and finished eighth at the Criterium du Dauphine.
During the 2011 Tour de France, Rolland gained acclaim for his strong work in defense of Thomas Voeckler's yellow jersey. Following the 14th stage of the Tour, Lance Armstrong referred to Rolland as a "rockstar." Rolland won the 19th stage at the top of Alpe d'Huez, beating Olympic gold medalist Samuel Sanchez and two-time Tour champion Alberto Contador. The victory also won him the white jersey, which he successfully defended in the 20th stage. He finished the Tour 10th in the general classification.
At the 2012 Tour de France, Rolland made a late attack which led to him winning stage 11, a mountain top finish up in La Toussuire/Les Sybelles. He finished the Tour in eighth place in the general classification, his best career performance, and the highest position of any Frenchman that year.
At the 2014 Giro d'Italia, Rolland finished fourth in the general classification, his best finish in a Grand Tour. He also finished 11th of the Tour de France.
In 2015, Rolland's first success was the Overall of the Vuelta a Castilla y Leon, made possible by winning the third and last stage in solo fashion.
On August 27, 2015, it was announced that Rolland will join Cannondale-Garmin for the 2016 season.