These are the (stated) ambitions of the teams and participants for the 2023 Tour de France

22 teams, dreaming of 22 ambitious goals. The Tour de France 2023 is just around the corner, which means that the world's best teams are preparing themselves for the most famous race of them all. In this article, IDLProCycling.com sums up the stated ambitions of each participating team!

AG2R Citroën Team

The team led by Vincent Lavenu has one clear goal for the upcoming Tour de France: the general classification of Australian rider Ben O'Connor, who finished fourth in 2021. "His third place in the Critérium du Dauphiné confirms that he's one of the best climbers in the world. We're convinced that, with the sporting level he's shown over the last few weeks, he can offer us immense satisfaction over the next three weeks."

According to the team, Felix Gall, stage winner in the Tour de Suisse, will also be given the opportunity to go for a stage victory in his first Tour de France. The French team also mentioned that Benoit Cosnefroy will have the opportunity to showcase his skills in the stages that suit punchy riders.

Belgians Stan Dewulf and Oliver Naesen are mainly part of the team to provide support on the flat stages, while Clément Berthet, Nans Peters and Aurélien Paret-Peintre are expected to stay with O'Connor for as long as possible in the mountains. The team also mentioned that the latter two riders will get to chase their personal ambitions if the opportunity presents itself.

AG2R Citroën Team selection: Ben O'Connor, Felix Gall, Benoit Cosnefroy, Stan Dewulf, Oliver Naesen, Clément Berthet, Nans Peters and Aurelién Paret-Peintre.

Alpecin-Deceuninck

At Alpecin-Deceuninck, they approach the upcoming Tour de France with two clear focal points: sprinter Jasper Philipsen and all-rounder/luxury lead-out Mathieu van der Poel, who can create havoc in the tougher stages alongside classics specialists Quinten Hermans and Søren Kragh Andersen.

Van der Poel and Philipsen have already shown their complementary abilities multiple times this year and aim to continue that synergy in the Tour. "We are already tuned in to each other," stated the Dutch rider during the Baloise Belgium Tour. "There is mutual trust between Jasper and me. We can communicate well enough to see who feels best on any given day. Jasper has also expressed his intention to go for the green jersey. I'm happy to support him in that. We get along well, and we'll divide the opportunities fairly between the two of us."

In the opening weekend, the Dutch rider will already have a chance at the yellow jersey. "The first two stages in the Basque Country are quite tough," teammate Quinten Hermans informed us in Switzerland. "The Jaizkibel (to be climbed in stage two, ed.) in particular is a climb I have done several times, and it's really demanding, but it's also something that riders like Mathieu van der Poel might be able to handle. I'm looking forward to it."

Alpecin-Deceuninck selection: Mathieu van der Poel, Ramon Sinkeldam, Jasper Philipsen, Jonas Rickaert, Quinten Hermans, Silvan Dillier, Michael Gogl and Søren Kragh Andersen.

Astana Qazaqstan Team

At team Astana Qazaqstan, everything basically revolves around one question: Will sprinter Mark Cavendish break the record for the highest number of stage wins in the Tour de France? His team is determined to give it their all for that goal, as lead-out Cees Bol revealed to this website.

"It's all bets on Mark this Tour," the Dutchman stated. "That makes sense and I'm very motivated to help him. On the other hand, it's not all about Mark for three weeks straight. There is a healthy balance, but the main goal is to help him achieve that triumph."

Alexey Lutsenko finished in the top ten in the Tour for the past two years, but he had to withdraw from the Tour de Suisse due to illness. However, he's feeling good again, as he stated after winning the Kazakhstani championship. "So far, it seems like I'm on track. It will be a great honor to start the Tour de France in the jersey of the national champion of Kazakhstan."

Astana Qazaqstan Team selection: Cees Bol, Mark Cavendish, Alexey Lutsenko, Yevgeniy Fedorov, Luis León Sánchez, David de la Cruz, Gianni Moscon and Harold Tejada.

Bahrain Victorious

After going through a difficult period following the tragic loss of Gino Mäder, Bahrain Victorious aims to honor him in the Tour de France that starts on Saturday. They will do so with Mikel Landa as their absolute team leader, in a Tour that is tailored to pure climbers. "I would like to finish near the podium and secure a stage victory," the Basque rider said, sharing his ambitions.

Head team director Gorazd Stangelj outlined the team's other goals. "Pello Bilbao will start as a co-leader," with the team setting a top ten result as the objective for the other Basque rider. "Then we also have Fred Wright and Matej Mohoric, who can seize their opportunities through long breakaways."

"Phil Bauhaus will have the opportunity to do his thing in the numerous sprint stages of this Tour, supported by an experienced lead-out man in Nikias Arndt," Stangelj continued. "Wout Poels and Jack Haig will provide the necessary support in the mountains, but they also have the potential to chase stage victories."

Bahrain Victorious selection: Wout Poels, Mikel Landa, Pello Bilbao, Jack Haig, Matej Mohoric, Phil Bauhaus, Nikias Arndt and Fred Wright.

BORA-hansgrohe

BORA-hansgrohe is firmly committed to a two-leader strategy, with Jai Hindley (general classification) and Jordi Meeus (sprints) as their main focal points. Hindley, who won the Giro last year and finished fourth in the Critérium du Dauphiné, has shown good form leading up to the Tour de France.

Climbers such as Emanuel Buchmann (who finished fourth in the 2019 Tour and recently won the German championship), Bob Jungels and Patrick Konrad (stage winners in 2022 and 2021) will primarily support Hindley's ambitions for a podium finish. "That would be a dream come true. It won't be easy, but it's something I've had on my mind for a long time."

Last Tuesday, Meeus was informed that he was preferred over Sam Bennett, and the Belgian is fortunate to be supported by super-domestique Danny van Poppel in his first Tour. Meeus considers Van Poppel's assistance and his own strong climbing abilities as his main advantages in the pursuit of stage victories.

BORA-hansgrohe selection: Danny van Poppel, Jordi Meeus, Jai Hindley, Emanuel Buchmann, Bob Jungels, Patrick Konrad, Marco Haller and Nils Politt.

Cofidis

In the team's official roster announcement, Cofidis announced that they aim to compete 'on all fronts' in the upcoming Tour de France. Guillaume Martin will bear the responsibility of a strong general classification performance, after showing good form again in the Dauphiné, following long-lasting COVID-related issues. He finished sixth in that race.

Ion Izagirre aims to shine in the early stages of the Basque Country and will later target stage victories in the more challenging rides of the Tour. Victor Lafay, Anthony Perez and Simon Geschke also fall into that category but will simultaneously support team leader Martin.

Bryan Coquard takes on the role of sprint leader, while young talent Axel Zingle will have the opportunity to perform in the tougher, more punchy stages. Alexis Renard is considered the main support for the fast riders.

Cofidis selection: Guillaume Martin, Bryan Coquard, Ion Izagirre, Axel Zingle, Alexis Renard, Anthony Perez, Simon Geschke and Victor Lafay.

EF Education-EasyPost

Jonathan Vaughters' American team recruited Richard Carapaz as their leader for this race and remains committed to that goal despite a less impressive performance in the Dauphiné. "We know that Richard has the ability to read a race well, and we will support him in doing so," stated Vaughters.

Carapaz himself feels prepared. "I have been working towards this goal since October, and I can't wait to start." Andrey Amador, Esteban Chaves (who openly dreams of the polka dot jersey) and veteran Rigoberto Urán are among the other South Americans present to support Carapaz as much as possible.

Alberto Bettiol, Magnus Cort and Neilson Powless not only serve as domestiques but also have the opportunity to pursue stage victories in the transition stages. Meanwhile, James Shaw, as a debutant, aims to contribute to his team's efforts as best as he can.

EF Education-EasyPost selection: Richard Carapaz, Rigoberto Urán, Magnus Cort, Neilson Powless, Alberto Bettiol, Andrey Amador, James Shaw and Esteban Chaves.

Groupama-FDJ

At Groupama-FDJ, there has been plenty of discussion in recent weeks about the final team selection for the Tour de France. Sprinter Arnaud Démare did not make the cut, while climbers David Gaudu, Valentin Madouas and Thibaut Pinot did. In particular, Gaudu will aim for a strong overall classification in the upcoming Tour.

Team manager Marc Madiot included Dutch rider Lars van den Berg in the selection to support Gaudu as best as possible. "Now that our full focus is on Gaudu, there are still guys who have to do the dirty work," Van den Berg explained his selection to this website. "I know David quite well. I've raced with him in several races. The same goes for Thibaut, and that will certainly help."

Both newly crowned French champion Madouas, who finished tenth last year, and Pinot will have free reign. Madiot expects great things from the latter. "Thibaut is determined and hungry. As a team, we may not be the favorites, but we are certainly strong contenders."

Groupama-FDJ selection: Lars van den Berg, David Gaudu, Valentin Madouas, Thibaut Pinot, Stefan Küng, Kevin Geniets, Olivier Le Gac and Quentin Pacher.

INEOS Grenadiers

Four years ago, they wouldn't have gotten away with it, but INEOS Grenadiers - the dominant team in the Tour between 2012 and 2019 - did not mention anything about a general classification in the press release they issued. "We will assess day by day how we can harness the strength of the team with the options we have available," stated manager Rod Ellingworth.

"Egan Bernal, as a former winner, brings a winning mentality to the team, as Tom Pidcock also showed with his stage victory in Alpe d'Huez last year," added Ellingworth. "Daniel Felipe Martínez, Jonathan Castroviejo, Omar Fraile, and Michal Kwiatkowski also know what it takes to win at the highest level, while debutants Ben Turner and Carlos Rodríguez want to seize their opportunities when they arise."

We didn't glean much from the words of the eight participating riders, except that Bernal wants to inspire people with his comeback and that he has embarked on the path of becoming 'his best self'. Castroviejo, on the other hand, mentioned that he doesn't think about personal success but wants to help the team as much as possible.

INEOS Grenadiers selection: Egan Bernal, Carlos Rodríguez, Daniel Felipe Martínez, Tom Pidcock, Jonathan Castroviejo, Ben Turner, Omar Fraile and Michal Kwiatkowski.

Intermarché-Circus-Wanty

At Intermarché-Circus-Wanty, performance manager Aike Visbeek could hardly have been more clear about his ambitions. "Our leader for the general classification is Louis Meintjes. With his seventh place last year, he achieved the very first top ten for our team in the final rankings. He has our full support to replicate this performance in this edition."

"As for Biniam Girmay, his mission is to aim for a stage victory in the sprint," stated Visbeek. "To increase our chances, we have explored several stages in recent months. We have trained a lot with the sprint train this winter. For his long-term development, it is also a priority for us that he completes a three-week race for the first time in his career."

Girmay is supported by the likes of Mike Teunissen, who claimed the yellow jersey in 2019. For this year's edition, the Dutchman's role is primarily to serve as the final lead-out for Girmay. "Biniam is better than me in every way," Teunissen said. Dion Smith and Adrien Petit are the other sprint preparers, while Rui Costa, Lilian Calmejane and Dauphiné stage winner Georg Zimmermann can also have some fun in the transition stages.

Intermarché-Circus-Wanty selection: Mike Teunissen, Biniam Girmay, Louis Meintjes, Rui Costa, Georg Zimmermann, Lilian Calmejane, Dion Smith and Adrien Petit.

Jumbo-Visma

The team to beat in this year's edition is Jumbo-Visma, which has defending champion Jonas Vingegaard in its ranks. "We are dreaming big again this year. Our ambition is to bring the yellow jersey back to Paris. We have a super strong team led by our leader Vingegaard, and we believe in the plan we have made. Winning the Giro this season was a dream come true for us. Our riders are fully prepared to achieve that double victory in the Tour," sports director Merijn Zeeman expressed his ambitions.

Wout van Aert has has made it clear from the beginning of this year that the green jersey will not be a primary goal, unlike last year. Christophe Laporte will support the Belgian in stages that suit Van Aert, but last year's green jersey holder will also have to contribute to Vingegaard's mission when the situation calls for it. With Laporte, as well as Dylan van Baarle, Tiesj Benoot and Nathan Van Hooydonck, he forms the strong midfield of Jumbo-Visma.

Wilco Kelderman and Sepp Kuss are the key climbing helpers for Vingegaard. Kelderman, in particular, has no personal ambitions, as he told this website during the Tour de Suisse. "Ensuring a high ranking for myself? That's not the goal at all. I think it's clear that Jonas is in a different league. My main focus is to do my job well in the mountains. Collectively performing as the strongest team, that's the goal of Jumbo-Visma."

Jumbo-Visma selection: Wilco Kelderman, Dylan van Baarle, Wout van Aert, Tiesj Benoot, Nathan Van Hooydonck, Jonas Vingegaard, Sepp Kuss and Christophe Laporte.

Lidl-Trek

Bauke Mollema not being included in the Tour selection was perhaps the most striking development for Lidl-Trek (formerly Trek-Segafredo) in the lead-up to the Tour. The team relies primarily on the two Danish leaders, Mattias Skjelmose and Mads Pedersen, although Giulio Ciccone and Jasper Stuyven are also starting off with personal ambitions.

Skjelmose is considered one of the outsiders for the Tour after winning the Tour de Suisse, but within the team, they are tempering the expectations. "From the team's perspective, he can ride with low expectations," Koen de Kort of Lidl-Trek says. "We shouldn't assume that he is going to finish on the stage, as he is still very young and has many years ahead of him."

The Danish general classification rider, who has learned a lot from his compatriot and teammate Pedersen, can count on the support he needs. "We have a well-balanced team, with riders like Gallopin and López who can be crucial in supporting roles. Mads also has his own dreams when racing, as does Jasper Stuyven, but when it comes down to it, everyone aligns their focus in support of Skjelmose."

Lidl-Trek selection: Jasper Stuyven, Mattias Skjelmose, Mads Pedersen, Giulio Ciccone, Quinn Simmons, Juan Pedro López, Alex Kirsch and Tony Gallopin.

Movistar 

Movistar starts off this Tour de France with Enric Mas as the absolute leader for the general classification. The Spanish team is chasing a spot on the final stage with the rider from Mallorca, although on their own website, they do not rule out giving some of the riders the freedom to chase stage victories.

Matteo Jorgenson, the American who made a name for himself last year with his attacks, will serve as a key support rider for Mas. The revelation of the spring season shared this with the American media outlet Velo. "The team has selected me to help Enric, especially on the most demanding days. They want me to be his last man."

Alex Aranburu and Gorka Izagirre will have the opportunity to show themselves in the opening stages as they start in "their" Basque Country. However, for the remainder of the race, the team will primarily revolve around Mas.

Movistar selection: Enric Mas, Matteo Jorgenson, Alex Aranburu, Ruben Guerreiro, Antonio Pedrero, Gorka Izagirre, Gregor Mühlberger and Nelson Oliveira.

Soudal Quick-Step

Surprisingly, Soudal Quick-Step was the last team to announce its selection for the Tour de France, which was likely due to Casper Pedersen's collarbone fracture over the past weekend. The Belgian team has two absolute leaders for the upcoming Tour: Fabio Jakobsen and Julian Alaphilippe.

"They are our two leaders," team director Tom Steels firmly stated in the press release issued by the team. "Julian will try to go for a stage victory, and we see multiple opportunities for him in the next three weeks. Fabio, on the other hand, can rely on a lead-out with Michael Mørkøv, Kasper Asgreen and Yves Lampaert."

"Rémi Cavagna will have the chance to show himself in breakaways, while Tim Declercq and Dries Devenyns can contribute to the team on all terrains," Steels added. Jakobsen recently stated to IDLProCycling.com that the green jersey is not an immediate goal for him, while Alaphilippe mentioned that he is particularly focused on the opening weekend. "I have explored those stages, and it will be a tough but beautiful weekend. I feel ready for the Tour."

Soudal Quick-Step selection: Fabio Jakobsen, Dries Devenyns, Tim Declercq, Yves Lampaert, Julian Alaphilippe, Kasper Asgreen, Michael Mørkøv and Rémi Cavagna. 

Arkéa Samsic

No general classification contender, but a sprinter and a bunch of opportunists: that sums up the selection of Arkéa Samsic. "We're aiming to win our first stage in a grand tour," said team director Théo Ouvrard. Warren Barguil is the biggest name on the team. "He will target stage wins in the medium and high mountains. Clément Champoussin will also approach the Tour in the same way," added Arnaud Gérard, another team director.

Luca Mozzato is designated as the team's main sprinter. "He can showcase his abilities on flat finishes but can also compete in stages where the pure sprinters might get dropped. In these two race scenarios, he can seize his opportunities," explained Sébastien Hinault, yet another team director.

Jenthe Biermans and Matis Louvel, both classics specialists, will also try to go for stage victories, while Anthony Delaplace, Simon Gugliemi and Laurent Pichon are presented as the team's water boys.

Arkéa Samsic selection: Jenthe Biermans, Warren Barguil, Luca Mozzato, Clément Champoussin, Simon Gugliemi, Laurent Pichon and Anthony Delaplace.

Team DSM-Firmenich

At Team DSM, they are clearly relying on Romain Bardet as their wild card, who will also aim for success on his home climb, Puy de Dome, in this Tour de France. "We're targeting both a strong general classification and stage wins," said Matt Winston, coach of the Dutch team.

"We're bringing strong climbers to the race. These guys have been working together closely over the past few months. Chris Hamilton, Kevin Vermaerke and Matthew Dinham will ride in a supporting role for Romain, who will be our finisher. They all showed good form in the Tour de Suisse," Winston believes.

In the flatter stages, the team also has a card to play with the departing Sam Welsford. "John Degenkolb, Alex Edmondson and Nils Eekhoff will be trying to set up Welsford as best as they can. As always, we'll work together as a cohesive team. The climbers will also do their bit on the flat stages and vice versa."

DSM-Firmenich selection: Nils Eekhoff, Romain Bardet, Sam Welsford, John Degenkolb, Chris Hamilton, Alex Edmondson, Matthew Dinham and Kevin Vermaerke.

Jayco AlUla

Jayco AlUla has two fighter jets for the upcoming Tour de France: Dutchman Dylan Groenewegen (sprints) and Briton Simon Yates (mountain stages). Groenewegen has already claimed multiple victories this year and hopes to add to his tally in the Tour. "Together with Luka Mezgec and Elmar Reinders in the sprint train, we have further developed ourselves. We are confident for the Tour, with strong legs and the best possible preparation."

Chris Harper, on the other hand, is there to support Yates, who is also excited for the Tour. "It's a parcours that should suit me, so I'm really looking forward to it. I love racing in the Basque Country. It's going to be memorable. We have a strong team with clear goals. For me, those goals lie in the mountains. I had a different build-up, with fewer races (Yates' last race was in April at Romandie, where he withdrew on day two, ed.) and more training. My form is good, so we'll see how it goes."

Additionally, the Australian-Saudi team has selected Luke Durbridge, Lawson Craddock and Chris Juul-Jensen, riders whose experience and horsepower should come in handy across all types of terrain.

Jayco AlUla selection: Dylan Groenewegen, Elmar Reinders, Simon Yates, Chris Harper, Luke Durbridge, Lawson Craddock, Luka Mezgec and Chris Juul-Jensen.

UAE-Team Emirates

The big story leading up to the Tour is undoubtedly the battle between Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar, the men who fought for the overall victory in the Tour de France in the past two years. The latter is heading into this year's edition with some targeted reinforcements, as Adam Yates and Felix Grossschartner have joined the team for the high mountains.

In the team announcement, Pogacar was straightforward. "The Tour is one of the biggest sporting events in the world, and we are very happy and excited to be a part of it," the versatile Slovenian said on his team's website. "As a team, we have worked so hard to prepare, and everything is where it needs to be. We have a very strong group and we are going there to put on a show. Our goal? The overall victory, of course."

In addition to Yates and Grossschartner, Rafal Majka and Marc Soler are important climbing support riders, while Vegard Stake Laengen, Matteo Trentin and Mikkel Bjerg excel mainly on flat terrain.

UAE Team Emirates selection: Tadej Pogacar, Adam Yates, Rafal Majka, Marc Soler, Felix Grossschartner, Vegard Stake Laengen, Matteo Trentin and Mikkel Bjerg.

Israel-Premier Tech

Just like in the Giro d'Italia, Israel-Premier Tech is radically going for stage wins in the Tour de France. Surprisingly, they are doing so without Chris Froome and Jakob Fuglsang, two of the highest-paid athletes on the team. Sports director Rik Verbrugghe has designated Michael Woods and Dylan Teuns as the new team leaders for the challenging stages.

"We are showing up with a strong team, ready to race aggressively and go for stage victories," said Verbrugghe, who is looking to the young sprinter Corbin Strong for the flat stages. He will be supported by Guillaume Boivin. Hugo Houle, Krists Neilands, Simon Clarke and Nick Schultz can they grab their chances in the transition stages.

After his overall victory in the Route d'Occitanie, Woods is especially already excited. "The course suits me, especially the opening stages in the Basque Country. It's an environment where I have already had many successes, including two stages in the Vuelta a España. My big ambition is to win a stage, and like my teammate Derk Gee in the Giro, I want to race very aggressively."

Israel-Premier Tech selection: Dylan Teuns, Michael Woods, Corbin Strong, Krists Neilands, Simon Clarke, Hugo Houle, Guillaume Boivin and Nick Schultz.

Lotto-Dstny

Caleb Ewan's last stage win in the Tour de France already dates back to 2020, but the Australian rider still enjoys the full support of his team, Lotto-Dstny. "Caleb has already won five stages in the Tour de France and he wants to add to that number in the upcoming edition. In the past two years, he has faced his share of bad luck in the Tour, and the past few months haven't been smooth sailing either. However, he remains one of the fastest riders in the peloton, and he is our best chance for a stage win," said sports director Kurt Van de Wouwer.

"That's why we have surrounded him with Jasper De Buyst, who has shown excellent form in recent weeks, and Jacopo Guarnieri, an important pawn in the sprint train," Van de Wouwer stated. "Florian Vermeersch and Frederik Frison will have the task of launching that train in a good position and will be getting opportunities to go on the attack in other stages."

In the tougher stages, the team relies on Pascal Eenkhoorn, Victor Campenaerts and Maxim Van Gils. "Pascal has already gained a lot of experience in recent years and now gets a taste of the Tour de France, where he will get to take his chances to perform in the slightly trickier stages. At 23 years old, Maxim is the youngest of the group and is starting without any pressure. After his excellent campaign in the Ardennes in the spring, we have confidence that he can showcase his talent in the Tour de France as well."

Lotto-Dstny selection: Pascal Eenkhoorn, Maxim Van Gils, Victor Campenaers, Florian Vermeersch, Jasper De Buyst, Frederik Frison, Caleb Ewan and Jacopo Guarneri.

TotalEnergies

At TotalEnergies, Peter Sagan will showcase his skills for the last time in the Tour de France. The rider from Slovakia crashed hard over the past weekend but seems to have escaped with minor injuries. Therefore, he will be at the starting line of the Tour, accompanied by Daniel Oss but without Maciej Bodnar.

"I will be happy when it's over," Sagan declared a few weeks before the Tour. "I don't have to be the best to win, but I need a bit of luck and need to be able to stay out of trouble. Maybe I can make something happen in the points classification. An eighth green jersey is not impossible, but with this new generation of riders, it certainly won't be easy."

With Mathieu Burgaudeau, Valentin Ferron, Pierre Latour, Edvald Boasson Hagen and Anthony Turgis, TotalEnergies seems to be aiming for success through breakaways, although they, like Astana, have not communicated further details.

TotalEnergies selection: Steff Cras, Peter Sagan, Daniel Oss, Mathieu Burgaudeau, Valentin Ferron, Pierre Latour, Anthony Turgis and Edvald Boasson Hagen.

Uno-X

Uno-X became the first team to announce its official selection for this year's Tour de France. "With a 'classic group,' we want to create opportunities for Alexander Kristoff on days for pure sprinters, while in the mountains, we primarily look to Tobias Halland Johannessen and Torstein Traeen," said manager Jens Haugland.

In an interview with IDLProCycling.com, Kristoff and Rasmus Tiller, the two strong giants of the team, discussed their goals. Kristoff is considered a cornerstone of the Scandinavian team. "But, of course, I am also getting older, so it's getting harder and harder for me," he said. However, Haugland is convinced that Kristoff still has what it takes to achieve a stage victory in the Tour.

Tiller, in addition to his role in the sprint train, also aims to hunt for a stage win. Traeen and Halland Johannessen will likely initially focus on the overall classification but may switch their focus to the battle for stage victories later in the race.

Uno-X selection: Alexander Kristoff, Torstein Traeen, Tobias Halland Johannessen, Anthon Charmig, Søren Wærenskjold, Rasmus Tiller, Jonas Gregaard and Jonas Abrahamsen.

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