Like Romain Bardet, Pierre Latour is also considering a move away from AG2R La Mondiale, with Total Direct Energie reportedly leading the race for him.

The Dauphiné Libéré (opens in new tab) newspaper reported on Friday that the 26-year-old, who finished 13th in the 2018 Tour de France, has decided to move to the French team run by Jean-Rene Bernadeau.

While the move represents a step down to cycling's second division, Total Direct Energie currently enjoys an automatic invitation to all World Tour races thanks to its top spot in the 2019 professional team rankings.

Latour did not approve of the move, but acknowledged that Total Direct Energie was an option, including staying.

"I'm in talks with several teams, AG2R La Mondiale is one, but Total Direct Energie is another option. Nothing is set in stone yet, but I think we will make a decision before the Tour de France starts."

As well as admitting his interest in Latour, Bernaudeau also mentioned the name of Bardet, who is rumored to be on the move to Sunweb. 11]

"That is part of the peloton rumors. We are looking for players who can shine in the mountains and Pierre is one of them, as is Romain Bardet," Bernaudeau said.

Like Bardet, Latour is one of France's most promising talents, coming from AG2R's training team, Chambéry Cyclisme Formation; he won a stage at the Vuelta a España in 2016, and in 2017 and 2018 he won the French national time He has shown his potential in stage races with a number of strong performances, including a title in the trials and a white jersey for best young rider in 2018 while supporting Bardet at the Tour.

His 2019 campaign was derailed by injury, while he was scheduled to lead the AG2R line at this year's Tour, sharing leadership with Bardet, who initially planned to target the Giro d'Italia.

AG2R La Mondiale has already agreed to long-term contract extensions with Oliver Naessen and Benoit Cosnefrois, but the future of the Grand Tour leader remains in limbo. Bardet, who has expressed the need to refresh his career, has been linked with a move to Sunweb.

However, according to the Dauphiné, the Frenchman is also looking for some fresh air and has already made up his mind.