Tudor names a team of once-great superstars to hunt Tour de France stage wins

The team announcements for the Tour de France are really heating up now, and Tudor is joining in on the action. The Swiss team announced its roster on Monday morning, and it includes some huge names that have somewhat fallen from favour. Alaphilippe, Hirschi, Trentin... names that once would've walked onto any Tour de France team. Now Fabian Cancellara's team call on them to fulfill just one goal: stage victories.

A surprise name amongst those superstars is Arvid De Kleijn. The young Dutchman has had a very difficult year, during which he was even beaten up by a group of youths. Afterward, he made a comeback and showed improvement. “He’s back in top form and a rider to watch during the fast sprints,” said team manager Addy Engels.

If it’s not a pure bunch sprint but a somewhat tougher sprint, Tudor is counting on Matteo Trentin and Rick Pluimers. “These are stages that are too tough for pure sprinters, and we’re ready to seize our opportunities,” Engels says, referring to the more challenging stages.

Perhaps the Swiss team’s best hopes for stage victory: Julian Alaphilippe and Marc Hirschi. “They’re our breakaway specialists. We see opportunities for them on numerous stages, especially on days with explosive finishes that play to their strengths.”

In the mountains, Tudor will then be counting on the legs of Michael Storer and the young Yannis Voisard, while—last but not least—Marco Haller will have to keep everyone in position on the flats. But: “He’s also a dangerous rider himself in breakaways and reduced-field sprints,” his team notes, highlighting the threat posed by the Austrian.

So there shouldn’t be much ambiguity about their ambitions, but Engels emphasizes it once again: “Our only goal: stage wins.” The team also knows how to do it: “With a bold, attacking style, Tudor Pro Cycling is ready to dominate the race from Barcelona to Paris, proudly carry the team’s colors, and remain true to its values and DNA.”