After claiming three stage wins on the Tour Down Under for a second yr in a row, Australian sprinter Sam Welsford is hoping he is performed sufficient to persuade his staff he is worthy of a begin on the Tour de France come July.
The Team Pursuit Olympic champion has massive desires, with the opening stage in Lille Métropole one which’s suited to sprinters. A victory there would add a second main achievement to the 29-year-old’s palmares.
“Everyone’s dream is to win a stage [of a Grand Tour], however for me, the Tour [de France] is one thing I actually wish to do. It has some good sprints, and stage 1 being a dash, has additionally bought my eye on it. So we’ll need to see what occurs,” Welsford mentioned after accumulating the factors classification victory in Adelaide.
Welsford is in a contract yr with Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and has pushed himself to lift his efficiency over the winter. After splitting his focus between his highway profession and the nationwide staff on the observe for the Olympic Games in 2024, he is laser-focused on getting outcomes for his WorldTour staff this yr.
“I’ve performed the most effective winter prep I’ve performed thus far in my profession already,” he mentioned. “I’m fitter and placing out higher numbers, so that is already setting me up for an excellent yr. Just having that base behind you, then the racing actually enhances your type.”
Welsford nabbed his three stage wins on the Tour Down Under by claiming the opening stage and ochre jersey on stage 1, a tougher victory on stage 2 the place he needed to chase again after a late climb and an early crash, and a reasonably simple flat last stage in Adelaide.
“I did not assume three phases was attainable. Going into this race, I knew it was going to be fairly a tough Tour with difficult phases, however the staff actually believed in me and actually backed me in for these phases,” Welsford mentioned.
“We knew this final one was an excellent one for us – an enormous energy circuit. I’m actually blissful to get the win in the present day. The boys simply did a tremendous job. Danny [van Poppel] dropped me off with below 200 meters to go, and I’m actually proud of this Tour.”
Van Poppel was an absolute rock star on the Tour Down Under, not solely main Welsford out however surviving the primary ascent of Willunga Hill to nonetheless be current for staff GC chief Finn Fisher-Black.
Demonstrating as soon as once more that he’s clicking together with his lead-out man may very well be the ticket he must persuade his staff that splitting their Tour de France targets between the GC with Primož Roglič and making an attempt for stage wins in an version with not less than eight days for the quick males is a good suggestion.
Welsford mentioned that the dash performances have been constant and achieved “in a great way, the place we’re not at all times simply getting fortunate, [we were] doing it on pure efficiency.
“For me and Danny to begin working collectively once more this yr and get it proper most days right here was one thing that was tremendous vital for us,” Welsford mentioned. “I’d like to experience a Grand Tour. We need to see if that is attainable.
“I’ve bought massive targets in massive races, in order that’s the place I actually wish to carry out.”
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