As one of 19 national champions racing at this year's Tour de France, Quinn Simmons will be one of the standout riders in the 176-strong peloton rolling out at the Bilbao Grand Départ on Saturday.
The American will don the stars and stripes for the first time on stage 1, his new kit part of Lidl-Trek's fresh new look after the supermarket came on board as title sponsor ahead of the Tour de France.
Once again, stage wins are the goal for Simmons, as well as providing support for team leaders, sprinter Mads Pedersen and GC men Giulio Ciccone and Mattias Skjelmose. He said this week that his new jersey has given him an extra boost ahead of the Tour.
"Maybe it's a bit of a biased opinion but I have the best jersey in the peloton now," Simmons said at Lidl-Trek's press conference on Wednesday.
"I've said it before that it's the one time cycling matters in America. Now I bring this jersey back over. It's been a long time – we were trying to find out when the last person was to do it. and I think I think it was George Hincapie in 2010 or something. So, it's about time that this jersey is back in the Tour.
"I'd be happy to see it here on any other American rider, but I'm super excited that it's me to finally do it. You come to the tour motivated, but now I have 10% more motivation and 10 more watts wearing this."
Simmons made his Tour debut last year and was one of the stand-out riders of the race even if he came away from the three weeks without a victory. The 22-year-old was one of the most aggressive riders of the race, making the break five times and taking the combativity prize on the road to Cahors on stage 19.
It'll be more of the same this time around, though there'll be work to do for his Lidl-Trek teammates, too. Simmons admitted that he doesn't like rolling around with nothing to do, though, so that suits him down to the ground.
"We have a strong team to go for the sprints with Mads and we'll see what Mattias can do in the GC," he said. "But for me, on the stages that suit me well, that changes nothing. I'm here to win a stage and, on a personal level, if I can play a role to help Mads and protect Mattias.
"I don't like those days where I have nothing to do. Sitting bored in the bunch isn't so fun. So now I have two good guys to help protect and then, I can chase my own stage win. But if I leave without a stage win then the Tour is a disappointment for me personally."
Simmons' start at the Tour was up in the air following the events of the Tour de Suisse two weeks ago, which saw the death of Gino Mäder after a crash descending the Albulapass. He left the race overnight and flew back home having witnessed Mäder's fatal fall.
He dedicated his National Championships win in Knoxville to the Swiss rider, and will be starting the Tour with Mäder still in his mind.
"I think for me it's something I'm still struggling with," Simmons said. "We all know the risks of the sport but when you see it up front it makes you question what you're doing with your life a little bit. For me I have stuff I like to do at home, I have a family at home, and if I were to say I'm not a little bit scared to head back to the mountains I'd be lying to you.
"It was actually the team's idea that I flew directly back to the US. I'm super grateful that Trek is a team that supports their riders in that way because if I had gone and sat on my own in Girona in the apartment alone, I don't think I'd be taking the start on Saturday.
"At the Nationals, I decided already when I went into the race that I was going to win solo, and I was going to dedicate it to him. To be able to do that doesn't change anything meaningful, but for me, I was glad I was able to do that even if it didn't mean anything to anyone else. To win that way and to be able to dedicate it to him helped me a bit. Now I have to stay focussed here because I have a job to do."
