Mitchelton-SCOTT has selected its strongest team of opportunists for the 2020 Tour de France, which starts next Saturday, 29 August in Nice.
The selection comes after the team identified stage wins as its primary objective for the first Grand Tour of the season following its successful four-stage haul in 2019.
Mitchelton-SCOTT at the Tour de France (29 August – 20 September):
Jack Bauer (NZL, 35, 5th appearance)
Sam Bewley (NZL, 33, 1st appearance)
Esteban Chaves (COL, 30, 2nd appearance)
Daryl Impey (RSA, 35, 8th appearance)
Chris Juul-Jensen (DEN, 31, 3rd appearance)
Luka Mezgec (SLO, 32, 1st appearance)
Mikel Nieve (SPA, 36, 6th appearance)
Adam Yates (GBR, 28, 5th appearance)
2019 Tour de France stage winner Daryl Impey returns for his eighth appearance and is joined by Slovenian debutant Luka Mezgec as options for the opportunistic days.
Grand Tour stage winners Esteban Chaves (3 x Giro d’Italia, 2 x Vuelta a España) and Mikel Nieve (3 x Giro d’Italia, 1 x Vuelta a España) look for their first victories at the French three-week race, whilst Briton Adam Yates, winner of the best young rider jersey in 2016, provides a third winning option in the mountains as he approaches his first Grand Tour in several years without general classification ambitions.
Rounding out the eight-man squad in crucial support roles is Denmark’s Chris Juul-Jensen and New Zealand’s Jack Bauer and Sam Bewley, who will also make his Tour de France debut.
Matt White – Head Sport Director: “This year has not been a normal one by any stretch of the imagination but the team is focused and ready for the challenge.
“We are very happy with the mix of experience and talent we have available for this year's race. This is a very complete group across all terrains.
“Last year was an incredible race for the team and we will continue in the same vein of targeting stage wins throughout.
“One thing for sure is we won't be leaving France without giving our all and making our fans and sponsors proud of the way we take on the world.”
Daryl Impey: “A stage win for the team would definitely make it successful and I would love to be the one who does it, personally that would be great. Last year was hugely successful and will be difficult to repeat, but we will certainly be going all out to achieve that.
“Being a stage winner does bring a certain calmness for me. I was always hunting this and was sometimes over-excited which ruined my chances. I can certainly think more clearly now without having to think ‘what if this is my only chance’. Having won at that level and from a break of many specialists on that day gives me confidence in the sense that I know I can do it.”
Esteban Chaves: “Going back to the Tour de France is really special. I am going back to respect it because my last and unique experience wasn’t that great, but I feel that this year is the right time to go back and try my best again.
“I want to be part of the race and to play an important role for the team. This will not be like last time when I just survived to the finish, I want to be at the front and be an important part of the race.
“I’m happy with my performances so far this year, the first two races gave me confidence and showed me that the work we did during lockdown worked well. After Poland, I have been at altitude in Andorra and we also took some days to look at stages eight and nine. The aim has been to maintain the form we had and to add some small things I was missing, but nothing crazy.”
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