Australia’s top cycling team is poised to have a local rider spearhead their Tour de France hopes for the first time.
There is widespread speculation that Perth’s Ben O’Connor will move to Jayco AlUla for next year, with his transfer from Decathlon AG2R to be confirmed after August 1.
British rider Simon Yates will be Jayco AlUla’s general classification rider when this year’s Tour starts on Saturday night (AEST) in the Italian city of Florence.
The popular thinking is that O’Connor will come in and Yates, who has been at the Australian team since 2014, will move to Dutch outfit Visma-Lease a Bike.
O’Connor, 28, finished fourth overall at the 2021 Tour de France.
Jayco AlUla was founded as GreenEDGE in 2012 with the ongoing backing of Melbourne businessman Gerry Ryan.
Until now, their overall hopes in the three-week Grand Tours – the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana – have rested with Yates and Colombian Esteban Chavez. Yates won the 2018 Vuelta.
Only four Australians have finished on the podium at a Grand Tour – Cadel Evans, who won the 2011 Tour de France, Richie Porte, Jack Haig and 2022 Giro winner Jai Hindley.
O’Connor rode the May Giro but will not be at this year’s Tour, which finishes in Nice – not Paris – on July 21 because of the Olympics.
Jayco AlUla’s Australian allrounder Michael Matthews will be on the lookout for more stage wins.
He is expected to be confirmed as the leader of Australia’s Olympic road team when it is announced on Saturday morning in Adelaide.
Dutch rider Dylan Groenewegen will be Jayco AlUla’s man for the sprint finishes.
There will be five other Australians in the Tour field this year, with no big overall hopes.
Hindley will be a key support rider for Primoz Roglic in the Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe lineup.
Haig, third at the Vuelta in 2021, likewise will be a mountain domestique at Bahrain-Victorious.
Jarrad Drizners (Lotto Dstny) will make his Tour debut, while Chris Harper and Luke Durbridge are the other Australians in the Jayco AlUla team.
https://thewest.com.au/sport/cycling/australian-tour-de-france-team-set-to-land-local-star-c-15174524
