Israel-Premier Tech unveiled their Tour de France roster on Friday morning. The team will compete without veteran and four-time Tour winner Chris Froome and young talent Matthew Riccitello. Instead, they will focus on Derek Gee, Jakob Fuglsang and Stephen Williams.
The team announced this in a press release. "The main goal is to win a stage," explained team leader Steve Bauer. "It’s a clear goal that certainly 21 other teams have as well. We have a strong, balanced and versatile team with riders able to shine in different terrains, giving us potential to be competitive throughout the race as the Tour evolves stage by stage. The competition will be fierce, but I believe in the group we are bringing to this Tour."
Froome's absence will be painful for the Brit, as he was also passed over last year. There were rumors from France suggesting that sponsors demanded Froome's participation in the Tour, but this turned out to be false. Riccitello's absence is perhaps understandable given he is merely 22, but the young American made an impression with a fourth-place finish in the Tour of Switzerland.
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Gee and Williams excelled in Dauphiné and Flèche Wallonne
Gee is the standout name on the list, in particular after his performance in the Dauphiné. "I’m unbelievably excited to be lining up for my first Tour," said the man who surprisingly finished third overall in the Critérium du Dauphiné. "It’s truly a childhood dream to race the Tour de France, and I can’t wait to experience the atmosphere of the biggest race in the world. The dream would be to win a stage and try to follow what Hugo Houle and Mike Woods have done for Canada at this race in the last few years.”
Williams will also ride the Tour. He won the Tour Down Under and Flèche Wallonne this year, proving himself as a dangerous puncheur and GC contender. "I’m looking forward to racing in my debut Tour de France. It will be a special moment to line up at the biggest bike race in the world. It’s something I dreamt of as a kid growing up. This has already been a wonderful year for me so far with some nice victories. Now, I’m eager to target some stages over the next month and try to tick off a major goal for myself and for the team."
Israel-Premier Tech selection Tour de France 2024
Derek Gee
Jakob Fuglsang
Stephen Williams
Pascal Ackermann
Guillaume Boivin
Hugo Houle
Krists Neilands
Jake Stewart
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