Bahrain Victorious have named debutant Santiago Buitrago as their common classification chief for the Tour de France. The Colombian might be flanked by an skilled staff that features Pello Bilbao, Wout Poels and Matej Mohorič, who all received levels eventually 12 months’s Tour.
Jack Haig returns for his fifth Tour look, whereas Fred Wright, Nikias Arndt and sprinter Phil Bauhaus additionally function within the line-up.
Buitrago received mountain levels on the Giro d’Italia in 2022 and 2023, whereas his tenth place eventually 12 months’s Vuelta a España was his highest total end in a Grand Tour so far. The 24-year-old received atop Mont Brouilly at Paris-Nice in March and he positioned eleventh total on the Critérium du Dauphiné, the place he impressed on the ultimate two mountain levels.
“I’m actually enthusiastic about my first Tour de France, the staff and I’ve been working laborious over in Andorra at coaching camp, and I believe at this Tour it’s good to be prepared from the primary stage,” Buitrago stated in a press release launched by the staff. “I’m preventing to do my greatest within the GC, and there’s actually robust competitors, however I do know that if I comply with my race, I might be up there with the most effective abilities and in addition battle for the white jersey.”
Bilbao positioned sixth total in final 12 months’s Tour in addition to claiming a effective stage victory in Issoire. He warmed up for this Tour by successful a stage of the Tour of Slovenia, the place he additionally positioned second total. While Bahrain Victorious described Buitrago as their GC chief, Bilbao may also goal a excessive total end in Nice.
“My ambitions clearly might be to attempt win one other stage,” Bilbao stated. “Last 12 months it was probably the most intense feelings I’ve ever lived by way of in my biking profession, and I’d like to repeat it. There is nothing akin to successful a stage on the Tour de France. Meanwhile I may also be specializing in the GC and wish to do my very best race.”
Mohorič has received three levels on the Tour over time, together with a memorable triumph in Poligny on the 2023 race. As the reigning gravel world champion, the Slovenian will certainly be to the fore on stage 9 to Troyes.
“Personally, the 2 levels I sit up for essentially the most are the gravel stage and stage 18, which might be an excellent alternative for the breakaway,” Mohorič stated. “There might be different alternatives throughout the race as issues by no means go as deliberate, and we have to embrace these alternatives.”
Bauhaus will lead the road within the bunch sprints, with Arndt serving as his lead-out man. The German made his Tour debut final 12 months, putting second in Bayonne within the opening week, and third in Nogaro and Moulins. He warmed up for the Tour with a stage win on the Tour of Slovenia.
