CyclingQuotes.com uses cookies for statistics and targeting ads. This information is shared with third parties.
ACCEPT COOKIES » MORE INFO »

Every day we bring you more pro-cycling news

“The goal for him is to win a stage and there are good opportunities right throughout the Tour for him. The green jersey, despite much hype, is not on our agenda this year.”

Photo: Sirotti

DARYL IMPEY

RIDER PROFILE
|
NEWS

LUKE DURBRIDGE

RIDER PROFILE
|
NEWS

MICHAEL ALBASINI

RIDER PROFILE
|
NEWS

MICHAEL MATTHEWS

RIDER PROFILE
|
NEWS

PIETER WEENING

RIDER PROFILE
|
NEWS

SIMON GERRANS

RIDER PROFILE
|
NEWS

SIMON YATES

RIDER PROFILE
|
NEWS

TEAM JAYCO ALULA (FORKERT)

TEAM PROFILE
|
NEWS

TOUR DE FRANCE

RACE PROFILE
|
NEWS
30.06.2015 @ 11:38 Posted by Emil Axelgaard

ORICA-GreenEDGE will start Le Tour de France this Saturday with a nine-man squad full of winning prospects across the three-week race.

 

Starting in Utrecht, the peloton will race two days in Holland and two in Belgium before crossing over to France to complete the 21stage, 3360km Grand Tour that concludes with the traditional final stage on the Champs Elysees in Paris on Sunday, 26 July.

 

In its fourth Tour de France, sport director Matt White said the Australian outfit has more cards to play than ever before.

 

“This is the most well rounded and balanced team we have ever sent to a Grand Tour,” White said. “We have a lot of opportunities right throughout the three weeks, where as at Tour’s in the past we haven’t had guys who can win high mountain stages.

 

“The goal for us is stage victories and because of the quality of this team, everyone will be given a chance to win a stage. With so many options right across the board, the month ahead is a pretty exciting prospect.”

 

Two-time Tour de France stage winner Simon Gerrans and two-time Giro d’Italia stage winner Michael Matthews will provide options for ORICA-GreenEDGE on the various punchy stages.

 

After a tough start to the season, Gerrans will line up in his tenth Tour de France in peak form, whilst Matthews is chomping at the bit to make his debut having been forced to withdraw in the days leading up to last year’s race due to injuries sustained in a training crash.

 

“Even though it has been an unfortunate year injury wise for Simon, the build up he has had over these last two months has been pretty ideal,” White said. “He is ready to roll and since this teams inception has been one of our most reliable athletes, we have our eyes on some suitable targets for him.”

 

“And Michael is certainly ready for the Tour de France after last year’s false start.

 

“The goal for him is to win a stage and there are good opportunities right throughout the Tour for him. The green jersey, despite much hype, is not on our agenda this year.”

 

Critical support for the duo and winners in their own right, two-time 2015 Tour de Romandie stage winner Michael Albasini and 2013 Maillot Jaune wearer Daryl Impey complete a dynamic quartet.

 

“Michael and Daryl are two guys that are very similar in character and ability,” White said. “Both are guys who can take opportunities to win for themselves but they also are very crucial for the team, especially for the likes of Michael Matthews and Simon Gerrans."

 

The inclusion of British twins Adam and Simon Yates is what gives ORICA-GreenEDGE a new edge to their sword.

 

In just their second year as professionals Adam, the 2014 Tour of Turkey champion, and Simon, recent winner of the white young rider’s jersey at the Criterium du Dauphine, have proven they can mixed it with the world’s best climbers.

 

Despite general classification targets in week-long Tours, the pair will focus purely on stage wins at this year’s Tour de France.

 

“I think it would be pretty irresponsible for us to put pressure on 22-year-olds, as second year pros, to ride general classification at the Tour de France,” White said. “For both of them, it’s the first Tour de France they are aiming on finishing and so the plan is to gain more experience at the highest level in our sport.

 

“What they have proven this year is that they have the ability to be very competitive on a lot of varied terrains and against the best riders in the world.

 

“We are aiming to win a stage with them. If they can hunt out the right move, then on any given day they certainly have the ability to win.”

 

A knowledgeable head in 2005 Tour de France stage winner Pieter Weening will provide support to the duo, and the entire team.

 

“What Pieter gives us is a lot of experience,” White said. “He is a very versatile athlete, he has won at the Tour de France ten years ago so he knows what it’s like to taste success here and has more recent wins at the Giro d’Italia over the last couple of years.

 

“He is a winner in his own right, but he gives us an older head around our two young Yates brothers.

 

Wrapping up the nine-rider squad are two powerhouse riders in Canadian Svein Tuft and Australian Luke Durbridge, who will put in an incredible workload for the team.

 

“If someone had told me in the last week of April that Svein would be ready for the Tour de France I would have been surprised,” White said.

 

“His has been a very different preparation than in previous years, but hats off to him, the way he has gone about his comeback from a pretty traumatic injury, to even be on the start line and ready to race the Tour is a big achievement.

 

“Like Svein, Luke plays a big role in a lot of what we do. He is a big workhorse and we will be relying on him throughout the Tour to help others get the job done. He will also get opportunities to get down the road himself.”

 

ORICA-GreenEDGE at Le Tour de France (4-26 July):
Michael Albasini (SWI, 34), 7th TDF appearance
Luke Durbridge (AUS, 24), 2nd TDF appearance
Simon Gerrans (AUS, 35), 10th TDF appearance
Daryl Impey (RSA, 30), 3rd TDF appearance
Michael Matthews (AUS, 24), 1st TDF appearance
Svein Tuft (CAN, 38), 3rd TDF appearance
Pieter Weening (NED, 34), 6th TDF appearance
Adam Yates (GBR, 22), 1st TDF appearance
Simon Yates (GBR, 22), 2nd TDF appearance

 

2015 Tour de France stats – ORICA-GreenEDGE
Youngest rider(s): Simon & Adam Yates – 22years
Oldest rider: Svein Tuft – 38years
Average Age: 29.22years
TDF debutants: Michael Matthews & Adam Yates
Most TDF appearances: Simon Gerrans (9)
Total TDF appearances: 26
Total OGE TDF stage wins: 2 (2013 – Stage 2 Simon Gerrans & Stage 3 TTT)
Total OGE days in Maillot Jaune:  4 (2013 – 2 Simon Gerrans, 2 Daryl Impey)

MORE NEWS:

VIEW SELECTED

Bycykling 101: Navigering i byens gader og cykelvenlige... 27.11.2023 @ 12:11The Best Danish Cyclist To Bet On At 2022 Tour De France 13.01.2022 @ 15:262022 Upcoming Tournament Overview 03.01.2022 @ 09:45Best Place to Find Stand-Up Paddleboards 16.06.2021 @ 08:16What are Primoz Roglic’s Chances to Win 2021 Tour de Fr... 17.03.2021 @ 08:37Amazing victory by young champion Sarah Gigante 04.02.2021 @ 14:21Three reasons why cycling is one of the best ways to ex... 28.09.2020 @ 12:03Why do businesses use meeting room managers? 14.09.2020 @ 13:42Five things that you can do, if you want to gain more f... 20.08.2020 @ 15:38One for the road 09.06.2020 @ 15:25List of CyclingQuotes previews 07.05.2020 @ 13:20Blue Energy: room for all interests 26.08.2019 @ 12:56Get your daily dose of exercise at home 08.07.2019 @ 10:443 good advice to be able to afford your favorite bike 25.02.2019 @ 12:32Cycle through gorgeous landscapes 22.10.2018 @ 21:41Balance Your Economy and Diet and Start Saving Money 08.10.2018 @ 11:18Stay Safe: 3 Helmets That Can Keep Your Head Protected... 20.07.2018 @ 07:59Planning to bet on Tour De France - Bet types and strat... 24.05.2018 @ 14:18Basics of cycling betting 25.10.2017 @ 13:10Bauer moves to ORICA-SCOTT 28.08.2017 @ 10:45End of the road for CyclingQuotes 08.01.2017 @ 16:00Rui Costa confirms Giro participation 07.01.2017 @ 12:55Van Avermaet: I am not afraid of Sagan 07.01.2017 @ 09:45Unchanged course for E3 Harelbeke 07.01.2017 @ 09:32Jenner takes surprise win at Australian U23 Championships 07.01.2017 @ 08:53No replacement for Meersman at Fortuneo-Vital Concept 06.01.2017 @ 19:14Barguil with two goals in 2017 06.01.2017 @ 19:06More details about French Vuelta start emerges 06.01.2017 @ 14:16Kristoff to start season at Etoile de Besseges 06.01.2017 @ 14:10Ion Izagirre announces schedule for first year at Bahrain 06.01.2017 @ 12:40JLT Condor optimistic for Herald Sun Tour 06.01.2017 @ 09:19Haas leads Dimension Data trio in fight for Australian... 06.01.2017 @ 09:15Sagan spearheads Bora-hansgrohe at Tour Down Under 06.01.2017 @ 09:12Henao and Thomas lead Sky Down Under 06.01.2017 @ 09:09Bauer crowned New Zealand TT champion 06.01.2017 @ 08:33Van der Poel ready to defend Dutch title 05.01.2017 @ 21:00Pantano ambitious for first Tour with Trek 05.01.2017 @ 20:41Landa with new approach to the Giro 05.01.2017 @ 20:36Sunweb Development Team sign Goos and Zepuntke 05.01.2017 @ 20:27Dumoulin confirms Giro participation 05.01.2017 @ 20:19Bauer targets victories in Quick-Step debut 05.01.2017 @ 20:16Gaviria and Boonen lead Quick-Step in San Juan 05.01.2017 @ 20:13Team Sunweb presented in Germany 05.01.2017 @ 20:09ASO take over major German WorldTour race 05.01.2017 @ 11:01Team Sunweb unveil new jersey 05.01.2017 @ 10:54Reactions from the Australian TT Championships 05.01.2017 @ 08:27Dennis defends Australian TT title 05.01.2017 @ 08:21Scotson takes back to back U23 TT titles in Australia 05.01.2017 @ 08:15Utrecht on track to host 2020 Vuelta 04.01.2017 @ 18:28Pre-season setback for Talansky 04.01.2017 @ 17:56Kristoff: It's not impossible for me to win in Rou... 04.01.2017 @ 17:49Boom close to first cyclo-cross win in LottoNL debut 04.01.2017 @ 17:40UAE Abu Dhabi make late signing of Arab rider 04.01.2017 @ 17:36UAE Abu Dhabi unveil new jersey 04.01.2017 @ 17:30BMC unveil race schedule 04.01.2017 @ 17:21

Currently no news in this list

Viachaslau SHPAKOUSKI
20 years | today
Blaz ZAKELJ
30 years | today
Kenneth VERDICKT
37 years | today
Alex DOWSETT
36 years | today
Guus van den EIJINDEN
19 years | today

© CyclingQuotes.com