Jayco-AlUla are stepping into the Tour de France with the trio of Simon Yates, Dylan Groenewegen and Michael Matthews to cover the bases as they chase both the overall podium and stage victories at the race from June 29 to July 21.
Yates, who last year was fourth overall, will once again lead the general classification charge with key support rider Chris Harper alongside as he hopes to this year break Visma-Lease a Bike and UAE Team Emirates' stranglehold on the podium.
“It is always exciting to be getting ready for the TDF and we’re feeling confident going into the race with a similar team to 2023,” said Yates in a team release. “After last year with two close second place stage finishes and fourth overall, it would be nice to get on to the top step and overall podium.
“I have held the leader’s jersey in the Giro and Vuelta and podiumed overall in both but not in the TDF yet. That’s a big goal of mine,” said the rider who is reportedly looking to move on from the Australian team next season.
Groenewegen – who in his two Tour de France appearances since joining the team has netted a stage victory, two seconds and a third – will once again line up for the sprints with the return of Caleb Ewan to Jayco-AlUla never putting Groenewegen’s position in this year’s squad in question. The Dutch rider has delivered three wins so far this season, the latest coming on stage 1 of the Tour de Slovenia but at WorldTour level races, finding the podium has been his best outcome.
“I have had some wins this season, but also a lot of second and third places,” said Groenewegen. “I know the speed is there and I want to get it right at the Tour.”
The pure sprints may be the domain of Groenewegen but the versatility and fast finish of Matthews – who has also had a number of near misses this season with the tightest of seconds at Milan-San Remo – will give the team a strong potential stage-winning option beyond the seven or eight sprint stages.
“I’m feeling in good shape, I had a good start to the season, I was on the podium again at Milan-San Remo and have been close to some wins, so after a lot of training at altitude and some stage recons I hope everything will fall into place at the Tour,” said Matthews, who won a Tour de France stage during his last participation in 2022, two in 2017 and another in 2016.
Jayco-AlUla Tour de France squad
- Luke Durbridge
- Dylan Groenewegen
- Chris Harper
- Chris Juul-Jensen
- Michael Matthews
- Luka Mezgec
- Elmar Reinders
- Simon Yates
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