Anthony Charteau (born 4 June 1979 in Nantes) is a retired French road cyclist who competed professionally from 2001 until his retirement at the end of the 2013 season. Best known for his climbing ability and aptitude for breakaways, Charteau combined consistency in hilly terrain with a tactical sense that helped him secure notable individual honours on the international calendar.

Early life and rise

Born in western France, Charteau emerged through the national amateur ranks before turning professional. As a developing rider he showed a preference for stage races with climbing stages and for opportunities to join long-range escapes. This profile suited teams looking for a specialist who could contest mountain points and aim for stage wins rather than contend for overall Grand Tour titles.

Professional highlights

Charteau's most prominent achievement came in the 2010 edition of the Tour de France, where he won the mountains classification and wore the distinctive polka dot jersey. The mountains competition rewards riders who accumulate points on categorized climbs over the three-week race and is one of the Tour's most coveted individual prizes. In the same period he also became a dominant figure at the Tropicale Amissa Bongo in Gabon, winning the overall classification three consecutive times (2010–2012), an achievement that underlined his ability to target and win week-long events.

Riding style and role

As a French climber and stage hunter, Charteau was valued by his teams for endurance in the mountains and for the tactical nous needed to profit from breakaways. He regularly sought mountain points and worked to build leads on medium-length climbs rather than relying on time-trialling or sprint speed. That specialisation made him a recognizable presence in mountain stages and smaller stage races.

Retirement and legacy

Charteau retired from full-time racing after the 2013 season. While he did not pursue overall Grand Tour general classification ambitions, his career is often cited as an example of how riders can gain prominence through specialist skills and consistent performances. His 2010 Tour mountains jersey and triple victory at the Tropicale Amissa Bongo remain his most widely remembered accomplishments.