Simon Yates joins Team BikeExchange squad for Tour de France
Simon Yates has been confirmed for Australian outfit Team BikeExchange's Tour de France squad. Photo: AP
Simon Yates has been confirmed as part of Australian outfit Team BikeExchange’s squad for the 2021 Tour de France, where he will attempt to build on his two stage wins from 2019.
The 28-year-old Briton will head into the Tour on a high after earning a podium finish at the Giro d’Italia last month and will look to continue his good form as he builds up to the Olympic road race this summer.
Yates, who won the young rider classification at the 2017 Tour before claiming the Vuelta a Espana crown a year later, will line up alongside Australia’s Grande Boucle stage winner Michael Matthews in Team BikeExchange’s eight-man squad.
Two-time Grand Tour podium finisher Esteban Chaves of Colombia will lead the team.
⏪ ICYMI ⏪
We present to you our mighty #TDF2021 team line-up 👇🏼
🇫🇷 Just 5️⃣ days to go 🔜 https://t.co/8ajHOu8zBY
— GreenEDGE Cycling (@GreenEDGEteam) June 21, 2021
Luke Durbridge, making his seventh Tour appearance, and Lucas Hamilton, who is poised for his debut, add to the Australian element.
They will be joined by Norwegian rider Amund Grondahl Jansen, Dane Chris Juul-Jensen and Luka Mezgec of Slovenia.
Team BikeExchange general manager Brent Copeland said: “We are coming into this year’s Tour de France really motivated after a fantastic podium at Giro d’Italia with Simon Yates.
“We have worked closely together with our team owner Gerry Ryan and Team BikeExchange’s technical staff and coaches to select the most competitive line-up of riders for this year’s edition.”
The Tour takes place between Saturday, June 26 and Sunday, July 18.