Israel-Premier Tech aims for stage wins in the Tour de France, but how will things be divided between Ackermann, Stewart, and Blackmore?

After a successful Giro d'Italia with Derek Gee finishing fourth in the GC, Israel-Premier Tech is now focusing on stage wins in the Tour de France. Last year, they failed to achieve this in the Grand Tours, but in 2023, Michael Woods won on the steep Puy de Dôme. The Canadian will be back in action on July 5 in Lille. For the sprints, there is Pascal Ackermann, and for the slightly more difficult finishes, there is Criterium du Dauphiné stage winner Jake Stewart.

“It’s simply said, yet difficult to achieve: we want to win a stage. We’ve assembled the best team from our current healthy roster with the aim of achieving this goal,” says Sporting Manager Steve Bauer. “It’s a common goal for every team, and that’s where the challenge lies at the highest level of our sport. We have to be sharp from day one and, in particular, through the first 10 days, we’ll analyze how we can have a shot at nearly every stage, because we can’t afford to let any opportunities go.”

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In addition to Woods, Kazakh Alexey Lutsenko and 2024 Tour de l'Avenir winner Joe Blackmore could be contenders in the difficult stages. Krists Neilands, Guillaume Boivin, and Matîs Louvel can also handle a hill. Ackermann and Stewart form the sprint duo, with Ackermann normally going for the flat finishes and Stewart taking the more difficult ones. “Ackie and Jake will be key figures in the first week,” Bauer emphasizes.

“There could be a couple of potential breakaway stages before the first rest day, too, depending on how the peloton reacts and the race evolves. It will be important for our guys to be ready to go hunting for victories when these opportunities come. “In the high mountains, Mike is our best climber, and he’s proven he can win Grand Tour stages. We’ll look to keep him out of trouble in the first few days, and then we’ll utilize his strengths as we go forward.” After illness in the Tour de Suisse, the team leader is ready. “It’s a crazy race and it’s the last race on the calendar that I do that scares me – in a good way, but it’s such a challenging race. The level is so high. The risks are so big, but the rewards are so incredible.”

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If Ackermann manages to win a sprint in the Tour, he will complete his hat trick of stage wins in the Giro, Tour, and Vuelta. However, that will be a tough task for the 31-year-old German, even though he already won a stage in the Four Days of Dunkirk this year. "I’ve had a lot of bad luck this year, so now it’s time to get back to the sunny times and fight for a stage victory. There are many chances to get an opportunity for sprints this year. How great it would be to win a stage and get the yellow jersey!”

The 22-year-old Blackmore is the only debutant in the selection, which is otherwise brimming with experience. The young Brit sees this as “an incredible opportunity.” “There are a few stages in the first week with punchy uphill finishes that I think I can be competitive in. I hope to help Pascal in the sprint stages, and Mike in the second and third weeks, but I want to be around the guys as much as I can from the start of the race and see what I can do to help them and the team’s chances.” Bauer says Blackmore is in top form. “Joe is in great shape – it’ll be an experience to see how he manages his first Grand Tour. This year we’ve raced him in the Classics and he’s coped with everything we’ve given him, so he’s shown us both the capability and capacity to be with the best.”

Pascal Ackermann
Joe Blackmore
Guillaume Boivin
Matîs Louvel
Alexey Lutsenko
Krists Neilands
Jake Stewart
Michael Woods