Aussies on Tour – The ten Australians flying the flag on the 2025 Tour de France

There shall be some notable absences among the many Australian contingent lining as much as tackle the lads’s Tour de France this yr. They vary from Michael Matthews (Jayco-AlUla) who wanted to step out of competitors after displaying indicators of a pulmonary embolism to the injured Pink Bull- Bora-Hansgrohe duo of Sam Welsford and Jai Hindley however even then the 2025 version is especially robust on causes for the nation’s biking followers to maintain their eyes open for the late nights of viewing.

There are ten Australians anticipated to line up in Lille with a variety of roles and stage kinds inside their sights. The time-zone and geographically challenged nation – in biking phrases at the very least – final yr had an unusually low tally of starters at six and, equally unusually, missed out on delivering a stage win, however in 2025 is as soon as once more punching properly above its weight. Solely followers from France, Belgium, Netherlands and Italy have extra compatriots to cheer on.

Not surprisingly, the most important numbers are concentrated at Australia’s solely WorldTour crew, Jayco-AlUla, with three riders from the nation on board, together with its crew chief and one other who has hopes of taking over that position sooner or later. Nonetheless, it’s not the one squad the place the Vegemite jar may must be shared, with Bahrain-Victorious additionally delivering a duo from Down Beneath.

The final time a rider from the nation snared a stage win on the French Grand Tour was in 2023, when Hindley received stage 5 and likewise spent a day in yellow, whereas the final time an Australian was on the general podium was in 2020 when Richie Porte got here third. This yr the unfold of riders consists of these providing general, breakaway and time trial potential plus some critical lead-out energy and climbing functionality.

When Ben O’Connor signed with the Australian crew for this yr it opened up a brand new period for the squad, which might now set forth with its personal home-grown contender on the greatest Grand Tour on the calendar. Fourth general on his Tour debut in 2021, the rider from Western Australia as soon as once more reminded simply how strong his racing credentials are with a strong run by 2024 which culminated with a second general on the Vuelta and World Championships highway race. His lead-in race this yr, the Tour de Suisse, largely put a robust present of constructing type on show, although a foul day left him with a strong if unspectacular seventh.

Recent off a Giro d’Italia which netted Luke Plapp his first Grand Tour stage win, however sadly additionally ended early because of sickness, it was not overly stunning when it was introduced that the 24-year-old would even be lining up in Lille. The rider is, step-by-step, working towards a place as a Grand Tour GC rider for the Australian crew, so settling into a task supporting Ben O’Connor, who has come fourth in France, second on the Vuelta and fourth on the Giro d’Italia is certain to be a wonderful studying expertise.

The Australian highway race champion is a rider it’s possible you’ll properly see on the entrance if you’re tuning into the Tour de France stage early, with ‘Turbo Durbo’ providing a strong mixture of energy and expertise. The ability he can ship engaged on the entrance makes him a useful assist asset for each the general and stage ambitions of the crew, which can also be chasing dash wins with Dylan Groenewegen. Add to that his intensive data of the race and peloton and it is laborious to think about the squad eager to line up with out him, which might be precisely why this shall be his eleventh version in 2025.

As soon as upon a time Jack Haig was a rider who confirmed promise as a potential general podium contender, having come third on the 2021 Vuelta a España. Nonetheless Haig isn’t a rider indulging in false hope, having put it bluntly that “the game has moved on”. Now, although, he’s a particularly useful asset for his crew, which is rallying behind Colombian Santiago Buitrago at this yr’s Tour with the purpose of bettering on his prime ten place in final yr’s debut.

Robert Stannard has come again to the peloton after accepting a back-dated doping sanction based mostly on irregular values on his Athlete Organic Passport – “I needed to make a tough alternative: settle for the ruling and be capable of do the game I like once more, or struggle to clear my identify,” he stated in a press release launched on his return. Since coming again on the finish of final yr, he’s been working laborious for the crew and that effort has earned him a journey on the Tour de France, the place he shall be making his debut.

Stannard has ridden Grand Excursions earlier than, and confirmed he can energy on by three weeks by ending the three editions of the Vuelta a España, the place he participated in 2020 by to 2022. The rider will now get his style of racing in France, serving to arrange Phil Bahaus for the sprints alongside Fred Wright, whereas the duo may even be anticipated to assist preserve general hope Santiago Buitrago protected.

In most different squads, Kaden Groves could be a rider with a superb probability of getting a shot on the dash phases, however Alpecin-Deceuninck is not another squad. Lining up alongside 2023 inexperienced jersey winner and nine-time stage victor Jasper Philipsen makes Groves a part of a strong lead-out crew that is going to be robust to beat. That is notably true given it consists of Mathieu van der Poel as a powerful final man, who may alternate as a breakaway stage possibility, ought to the course not be pan-flat.

The winner of 9 phases throughout the Giro and Vuelta in addition to the factors jersey on the Spanish Grand Tour for the final two years, Groves is more likely to sooner or later get his shot at chasing victories in France. However with the energy on present inside the squad, 2025 is a yr the place the wins he’ll be serving to ship to his crew aren’t more likely to be his personal. The truth that he’s on the beginning line this yr, nevertheless, is an effective step alongside the best way.

Michael Storer is aware of what its wish to make a mark at a Grand Tour, taking not one however two stage wins on the 2021 Vuelta a España. He is continued to ship robust general showings, making the highest ten within the final two editions of the Giro d’Italia. However as he traces up for Tudor Biking, who as a crew are making their Tour de France debut, his consideration is popping again to stage victory.

Since then, Sweeny hasn’t returned however 2025 has lastly delivered one other alternative. The crew’s unique GC targets have been foiled by sickness, with Richard Carapaz out because of a gastrointestinal sickness, however which means the squad is all in to chase phases. “Having labored so laborious for the final 4 years to get again to the Tour, it provides me goosebumps to consider what it may imply to win there, whereas really being within the form that’s wanted to win a stage,” stated Sweeny within the EF Schooling-Easypost crew announcement.

Jarrad Drizners first lined up on the Tour de France in 2024, serving to pilot Arnaud De Lie within the sprints, the place he netted two stage podiums, and he’s again in 2025 to play a key lead out position for the younger Belgian as soon as once more. There are, after all, hopes that this time he’ll be ushering De Mislead the highest step as each profit from the expertise of getting one version underneath their belt. It hasn’t, nevertheless, been the simplest of runs for De Lie for the reason that French Grand Tour final yr although the crew says “he is again to his previous self and prepared for 3 weeks in France”. Drizners may even be relied on to ‘preserve the group collectively’ because the crew appears to assist Lennert Van Eetvelt within the mountains.

Callum Scotson has spent all of his WorldTour profession with Jayco-AlUla up till this season and whereas he had finished a lot of Grand Excursions with the Australian squad, the Tour de France hasn’t been on the radar earlier than. The change to Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, nevertheless, has modified that. The position is one factor that’s more likely to keep the identical, this time working towards the reason for Felix Gall – who received a stage on the 2023 Tour de France and in that yr additionally got here eighth general. Gall will as soon as once more be chasing phases and a robust general for the French squad, with Scotson there for assist – a dynamic they’ve already examined out on the Tour de Suisse the place Gall completed fourth general.

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