Chris Froome has missed out on selection for the Tour de France with the four-time winner omitted from Israel-Premier Tech’s eight-man team for the race.
Froome, 39, had appeared in line to feature after riding the Criterium du Dauphine, the traditional warm-up race for the Tour, earlier in June.
But the seven-time Grand Tour winner has again been left out with Israel-Premier Tech prioritising stage racers for the three-week excursion, which begins in Florence on June 29.
Fellow veteran Jakob Fuglsang is included, while much will be expected of Derek Gee after a breakthrough performance at the Dauphine that saw the Canadian take a stage and third place overall in the general classification.
“It was one of the toughest team selections we ever had to make, which speaks of the depth of our rider roster,” said team owner Sylvan Adams.
“Ultimately, our performance team was unanimous in making these selections, knowing we wanted a team geared towards hunting for individual stages, rather than a high placing on GC.”
In Froome’s absence, Tour debuts are handed to fellow Brits Jake Stewart and Stevie Williams, who has enjoyed an excellent year and won Fleche Wallonne in the spring.
German sprinter Pascal Ackermann will be a danger in a route that features several chances for the peloton’s fastmen, while Hugo Houle returns after an emotional stage win in 2022.
Froome’s omission is a blow for a rider who had expressed his desire to return to a race he dominated a decade ago.
He has struggled to recapture top form since a life-threatening crash at the 2019 Dauphine, though signed a five-year contract at Israel-Premier Tech in 2021 and has suggested he wishes to see it out.
He secured his fourth and final yellow jersey at the 2017 edition of the Tour but may yet have ridden his final stage.
Israel-Premier Tech Riders for 2024 Tour de France: Pascal Ackermann (GER), Guillaume Boivin (CAN) Jakob Fuglsang (DEN), Derek Gee (CAN), Hugo Houle (CAN), Krists Neilands (LAT), Jake Stewart (GBR), Stevie Williams (GBR)
