The remaining groups for the biking occasions on the Paris Olympics are coming collectively, with the host nation France naming Tour de France stage 2 winner Kévin Vauquelin to the group for the lads’s street race.
Giro d’Italia stage winner Julian Alaphilippe, who skipped the Tour de France with the Olympics in thoughts, will likely be one of many dwelling favourites after ending second general on the Tour of Slovakia final month.
His newly named teammates embrace Valentin Madouas – a podium finisher within the Tour of Flanders in 2022 – and European champion Christophe Laporte within the choice made by nationwide coach Thomas Voeckler and introduced through the Tour de France relaxation day in Orléans on Monday.
Vauquelin will even compete within the particular person time trial as France’s sole entrant.
It would be the first look on the Olympics for Vauquelin, Laporte and Madouas. Alaphilippe competed within the street race in Rio.
The Arkéa-B&B Hotels rider claimed a surprising victory on stage 2 of the Tour de France, attacking from the day’s breakaway to win the stage over Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility). Earlier within the season, Vauquelin gained the time trial within the Etoile de Bessèges and completed second in La Flèche Wallonne.
Classics prowess is anticipated to be wanted to win medals within the Paris Olympics, with the 273-kilometre protecting 2,800 metres of climbing culminating in three brief laps with a 1-kilometre lengthy ascent in Montmartre (common 6.5% gradient) on every lap.
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Voeckler missed Bentoît Cosnefroy (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), the second-best ranked Frenchman within the UCI World Rankings behind climber Romain Bardet. Cosnefroy has gained 4 one-day races this season, the general Tour des Alpes-Maritimes and begged off racing the Tour de France in hopes he can be chosen for the group.
The Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale rider was at peace with the choice as he posted merely “Accept and look forward” to his social media, earlier than telling his chosen compatriots to “be robust”.
Lenny Martinez (Groupama-FDJ) additionally gained 4 one-day races together with the hilly Trofeo Laigueglia and is the third-best Frenchman within the UCI rankings, however he would not have the identical Classics pedigree as the chosen riders.
Spain took a balanced method to their choice, additionally introduced at present, selecting three riders from the Tour de France begin listing.
Star younger climber Juan Ayuso made the choice together with rouleur Oier Lazkano and versatile sprinter Alex Aranburu. Ayuso will compete within the particular person time trial on July 27.
Ayuso gained the time trial in Tirreno-Adriatico this yr, though it was considerably shorter than the flat 32.4-kilometre route of the Olympic time trial. He additionally gained Itzulia Basque Country and is at present one of many key riders supporting Tadej Pogačar on the Tour de France.
Lazkano is arguably the perfect Classics rider of the present technology of Spanish professionals, having gained the Clásica Jaén this yr, completed third at Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne and managed a podium at Dwars door Vlaanderen in 2023.
Alex Aranburu is the reigning Spanish street champion with three Vuelta a España stage wins to his title.
All three Spanish rider will likely be making their debut within the Olympic Games.