Polish rider to support Cunego at the French Grand Tour.

With sixth place overall at the Giro d’Italia, Przemyslaw Niemiec demonstrated his ability and endurance in a three week stage race and the Pole has announced that he will ride his first Tour de France this year.

At the Giro Niemiec played a crucial role and very nearly put his Lampre-Merida team captain, Michele Scarponi, in the shadows and has stated he will now ride the Tour de France in support of Damiano Cunego. Last year Niemiec was Lampre-Merida’s best rider at the Vuelta a España, finishing 15th overall.

At the Tour de France, Niemiec will star in a supporting act of designated team captain, Damiano Cunego. Cunego has failed to duplicate the form that saw him take seventh place in the 2011 Tour de France but still he managed to finish sixth at the 2012 Giro before under-performing at the Vuelta España.

"I've ridden the Olympics, the World Championships, the Giro and the Vuelta but now it’s time for the Tour," Niemiec told French newspaper L’Equipe. The normal procedure for Niemiec during the past couple of seasons has been based around the Giro and Vuelta and with the Tour just weeks away, his ability to freshen-up and be fighting amongst the top contenders into the third week will be severely tested.

"We'll see what shape Damiano is in. I'm going to the Tour to gain experience and we'll see what happens as the race unfolds," he added.