Bahrain Victorious have named debutant Santiago Buitrago as their normal classification chief for the Tour de France. The Colombian will probably be flanked by an skilled workforce that features Pello Bilbao, Wout Poels and Matej Mohorič, who all gained levels eventually yr’s Tour.
Jack Haig returns for his fifth Tour look, whereas Fred Wright, Nikias Arndt and sprinter Phil Bauhaus additionally function within the line-up.
Buitrago gained mountain levels on the Giro d’Italia in 2022 and 2023, whereas his tenth place eventually yr’s Vuelta a España was his highest total end in a Grand Tour so far. The 24-year-old gained atop Mont Brouilly at Paris-Good in March and he positioned eleventh total on the Critérium du Dauphiné, the place he impressed on the ultimate two mountain levels.
“I’m actually enthusiastic about my first Tour de France, the workforce and I’ve been working arduous over in Andorra at coaching camp, and I feel at this Tour it is advisable to be prepared from the primary stage,” Buitrago mentioned in a press release launched by the workforce. “I’m combating to do my greatest within the GC, and there may be actually robust competitors, however I do know that if I observe my race, I might be up there with the perfect abilities and likewise combat for the white jersey.”
Bilbao positioned sixth total in final yr’s Tour in addition to claiming a high quality stage victory in Issoire. He warmed up for this Tour by profitable a stage of the Tour of Slovenia, the place he additionally positioned second total. Whereas Bahrain Victorious described Buitrago as their GC chief, Bilbao can even goal a excessive total end in Good.
“My ambitions clearly will probably be to strive win one other stage,” Bilbao mentioned. “Final yr it was one of the vital intense feelings I’ve ever lived by way of in my biking profession, and I’d like to repeat it. There may be nothing akin to profitable a stage on the Tour de France. In the meantime I can even be specializing in the GC and wish to do my absolute best race.”
Mohorič has gained three levels on the Tour through the years, together with a memorable triumph in Poligny on the 2023 race. Because the reigning gravel world champion, the Slovenian will certainly be to the fore on stage 9 to Troyes.
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“Personally, the 2 levels I stay up for essentially the most are the gravel stage and stage 18, which could possibly be a superb alternative for the breakaway,” Mohorič mentioned. “There will probably be different alternatives throughout the race as issues by no means go as deliberate, and we have to embrace these alternatives.”
Bauhaus will lead the road within the bunch sprints, with Arndt serving as his lead-out man. The German made his Tour debut final yr, putting second in Bayonne within the opening week, and third in Nogaro and Moulins. He warmed up for the Tour with a stage win on the Tour of Slovenia.
The 2024 Tour will get beneath means in Florence on Saturday.
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