Tudor head to the Giro with a 'silent killer' and a 'teddy bear': 'Without Seixas he would be getting a lot more attention'

The Giro d'Italia spotlight falls on the big machines of Visma | Lease a Bike, UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe — but the pro-continental Tudor Pro Cycling also have plenty to say. Unlike last year, they are not arriving with a single protected leader. They have two — one chasing a result that should have come already, the other making his Grand Tour debut.

Tudor committed to Michael Storer as their GC leader last year. The 29-year-old Australian finished tenth in Rome, but after his overall victory at the Tour of the Alps in 2025, that felt like an opportunity lost. A series of crashes denied Storer the chance to fully chase down what he was capable of. In 2026 he returns for another attempt.

His legs were good again at this year's Tour of the Alps, awarding him a solid fourth place. But Storer was already managing expectations during the race itself. "It would be nice to get a result, but it doesn't make that much difference in the end," he said. "I know where I stand, and if that translates into something, great. But if not, that's not the end of the world either."

He will no doubt be hoping the Giro is where it all clicks into place. He has pointed to his track record: "I always need a little time to reach my best condition, and this year I had a few issues in the spring as well. But from April onwards I'm normally competitive — and that's when you need to be ready for the Giro."

Alongside Storer comes Mathys Rondel. The 22-year-old Frenchman has been impressive all year — from Mallorca to Paris-Nice — and added a fifth place at the Tour of the Alps to a tidy spring programme. Crucially, he believes there is still more to come: "I hope I'm still quite far from a hundred percent," he said calmly at his final stage race before the Giro. "My feeling at altitude wasn't great yet, but it improved during the Tour of the Alps."

"I want to keep improving heading into the Giro," he added. "My goal is to be at a hundred percent for the full three weeks." It is a tandem that excites Tudor. Storer is pleased to have a shadow leader of genuine quality alongside him. "Mathys and I have a good connection," the Australian said. "I'm happy that he's stronger now, because it's better to have two men at the front rather than just one."

Storer calls it "an advantage" — as is the fact that Tudor barely feature in Giro predictions. "It's good that nobody is talking about us," he said. Rondel is equally relaxed about expectations: "The team won't be expecting anything specific from me yet, so I don't feel pressure. But my goal is still to be good and to get results. We have Michael for the classification, which means I can do my own thing."

It is a formidable partnership, with Storer — whose podium at Il Lombardia last autumn demonstrated what he can do on the right day — knowing exactly what he is capable of. "I always think about my long-term development," he said before the Tour of the Alps. "I want to get better in every possible way. I'm never satisfied with where I stand. I always want more."

A Giro overall is not something Storer is dreaming of — he knows Visma | Lease a Bike have the clear favourite in Jonas Vingegaard. "We have to understand that talents like him and Tadej Pogačar come around once in a generation. At Tudor I've embraced a project that keeps the focus on me — all the energy and resources are directed at helping me become the best version of Michael Storer."

"After two and a half years, I can say the results are living up to my expectations," he added. He will also know that the long-term future of Tudor does not rest on his shoulders, but on Rondel's. The Frenchman has been part of Fabian Cancellara's project from day one and extended his contract this season until 2030.

Rondel is the team's future — and road captain Larry Warbasse is in no doubt. "I'm not surprised by Mathys," the American said. "He works incredibly hard, is totally committed, and is unbelievably motivated. He's a young rider, and if Paul Seixas wasn't coming through so quickly right now, Mathys would be getting a lot more attention. Though a little less spotlight is probably good for him in the end."

Warbasse has no difficulty describing his two leaders. "They're two very different people, on and off the bike. They're both quiet and reserved, but I think Mathys is more of a silent killer, while Michael is a real teddy bear. They're completely different — but both incredibly talented and capable of big things."

"That we're different is an understatement," Rondel smiled. "We race in completely different ways, but together we have to get the best result possible for the team in the Giro. We race well together, we know each other well, and the communication is always good. I'm really looking forward to the full experience."

The open question is whether Rondel can perform across three weeks. "I'm really curious to see how I do in the second and third week," he acknowledged. "In the Giro in particular, the third week is the most important one for a GC rider." Warbasse shares that curiosity — but has no reservations. "Nobody knows until they've actually done it. I have no reason to believe that Mathys won't be good in a third week. He does everything right and has both the legs and the head. That's already 90 percent of the job. I wouldn't be surprised to see a very strong GC ride from him."