Orica-GreenEDGE went into the Tour de France with the goal of winning a stage but left the race empty-handed. The team laments the loss of Michael Matthews before the race and Simon Gerrans' early crash.

The 2014 Tour de France came to a close on the Champs-Élysées this evening, ORICA-GreenEDGE finishing the three-week Tour with seven top-ten stage finishes and a bright future.

Destined for a sprint finish, ORICA-GreenEDGE animated the final day of racing in Paris that was won by Marcel Kittel (GIA). Vincenzo Nibali (AST) comfortably wrapped up the coverted yellow jersey.

The team started the Tour with five debutants and despite the adversity thrown at them sport director Matt White said he was proud of the team’s commitment to the plan.

“It wasn’t the smoothest of runs for us before the Tour even started and with Simon’s (Gerrans) crash on day one it changed the plans and affected our ability to achieve the goals we set out before we started,” sport director Matt White said.

“We had five new guys to the Tour de France. They certainly committed to the plan day in, day out and we can’t fault the guys on how they carried themselves.

“When one door closes another one opens. 

“It gave someone like Christian Meier the chance to do the Tour de France that he might not get again.

“And then we have Simon Yates who is 21-years-old. He wasn’t down to do the Tour de France but he made the most of it and he is a step or two ahead of where he would’ve been had he not have done the Tour.

“So they are positives that we are taking out of it.  We are a team that is thinking long term, to keep developing these guys and they have had opportunities here that are of a big benefit to them.”

Whilst the team didn’t meet their original objectives, White said there was plenty to be excited about for the ORICA-GreenEDGE outfit.

“We came here to win a stage but it wasn’t through lack of trying or commitment from the riders or staff that we didn’t achieve that goal," White said.

“Only eight teams won here out of the 22 and at the end of the day we are still very happy with the commitment that the guys put in. 

“We have won 28 races this year, the second most successful team in the world. 

“We didn’t win a stage here and we would have liked to, but our talent is strong and it shows when we keep on winning throughout the calendar.

“We have some targets coming up for the remainder of the season and some very big talents waiting in the wings and we are sure we are going to show them next year at the Tour de France.”