Tudor confident Storer can reach new heights at the Giro thanks to a few crucial factors

Michael Storer is a product of the current Jayco-AlUla development program. But he took his first steps in the WorldTour with the current Picnic-PostNL team. He rode the Vuelta a España for that team in 2018, 2019, and 2020, but in his fourth participation in Spain in 2021, he really made his breakthrough. He won two stages from the breakaway and took the mountain jersey after winning a stage and the GC in the Tour de l'Ain earlier that year. The French money of Groupama-FDJ was put to good use, and the team signed Storer for 2022 and 2023. However, it never turned out to be the success they had hoped for.

At Groupama-FDJ, Storer rode for leader David Gaudu in the 2022 Tour de France and Lenny Martinez and Romain Grégoire in the 2023 Vuelta. "I also had a period where I delivered bidons and rode at the front from kilometer zero. Riding for a GC didn't always go well either," Storer said during the Tour of the Alps, a race he won convincingly. "At Tudor, they really tried to push me into the role of GC rider. And by constantly going for GC results, you automatically get better and more consistent."

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How did they transform Storer into a real GC contender in a year and a half? After his stage win in the Tour of the Alps on day two, team captain Larry Warbasse said: "He's a machine. Off the bike, he's shy, but when you really get to know him, he's talkative and truly part of the group. We went to training camp in Sierra Nevada for three weeks, and you could already see that he had impressive legs. I just taught him how to sit aerodynamically on the bike, and he took that advice to heart today, and it led to a victory."

It sounded like a joke, but it wasn't. Sports director Claudio Cozzi said: "We worked hard last winter on his positioning on the bike to make him more aerodynamic. He also trained a lot with Matteo Trentin to improve his descending skills. Last year, he lost a lot of time on the descents in the Giro d'Italia. He would have been fighting for positions 5 to 7 without that time loss, but now he finished tenth. During his stage win (in the Tour of the Alps, ed.), we saw him descend well and sit aerodynamically on his bike."

Descending on Trentin's wheel has obviously been very beneficial for Storer. "I'm glad that the fear has disappeared a bit," Storer added. Coach Sebastian Deckert emphasizes that Storer was starting from scratch. "Michael has worked really hard on his skills on the bike. When you come from Australia, the races are different. He had a big engine, but technically and tactically, he wasn't the best. At Sunweb (where Deckert already worked with him, ed.), we invested in downhill training; he talked to other riders and learned from them. And now, when you're up in the Sierra Nevada, you must descend 30 kilometers every time..."

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More aerodynamics, better descending. Storer became more well-rounded at Tudor but also got better by not hitting any obstacles all winter. His level in the Tour of the Alps was impressive, perhaps too impressive? "I think I'm in the best shape of my career. When I see how strong I am, I realize I peaked early. My coach has devised a plan, and I don't think it will be a problem to maintain that level for the Giro, but you never know.” Cozzi: ”After the Tour of the Alps, we'll rest ahead of the Giro and try to stay healthy."

Deckert agrees that unlimited training, without physical setbacks, has been crucial. "You have to be consistent in a race like the Giro, and he's been able to work really well over the past few months. Michael always had the potential, even if it didn't always show in the results. We haven't done anything very different from other years, and it's not like this is our first time taking him to a grand tour. We think he can still improve ahead of the Giro. When he won two stages in the Vuelta in the past, he was also better than when he won the Tour de l'Ain the year before."

"It's better to be good and work from there than the other way around," Deckert says with a smile. "And in the Giro, we'll also be up against some powerful competitors, but we can only influence what we do ourselves. So we don't know what result to expect; we'll fight every day and see what happens." Cozzi: "We think he can be a strong GC rider. We don't know if he can win a Grand Tour, but we're pushing him to go for a good result."

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"We also try to push him forward in his role as leader, with the help of his teammates," Cozzi continues. "Michael is very motivated and has already changed a lot. Matteo Tosatto talks to him often, and we always want him to try and take risks. If others are better, that's fine. If it means he can win, we're happy. In terms of mindset, we must keep pushing him to be competitive. Michael also believes in his teammates, which is important regarding crucial points in the race. Last year, he often had to do it alone, but now we've surrounded him with riders who can help him and enable him to perform at 100%."

And managing those teammates is actually going pretty well. Storer is a shy guy in front of the camera, but Deckert emphasizes that it doesn't matter in a team bus. "There isn't just one type of leader; every leader has a different personality. Everyone needs to feel supported, and if you can be yourself and don't have to change for anyone, that's the best thing, and you feel good. If you have to pretend to be someone else, it just takes energy. Being yourself gives you confidence. And when you have confidence, you dare to say things. That makes every race better."

Bram van der Ploeg (Twitter: @BvdPloegg | email: [email protected])