Israel – Premier Tech Squad Aims for Tour de France Stage Wins
Israel – Premier Tech is preparing to compete in this year’s Tour de France with a versatile team, hoping to replicate their success from last year by securing stage victories. Sports Manager Rik Verbrugghe expressed confidence in the team’s ability to race aggressively and pursue stage wins. He stated, “I believe that each of our eight selected riders has what it takes to be victorious in this race…If we can continue like this, racing opportunistically, I believe we will have a great race.”
The team’s lineup includes Michael Woods and Dylan Teuns as the leaders for the mountains. Last year’s stage winners Simon Clarke and Hugo Houle, along with Nick Schultz and Krists Neilands, will focus on the undulating stages. Corbin Strong will make his Grand Tour debut, with Guillaume Boivin providing support in the fast finishes and also capable of fighting for a stage win.
In light of Israel – Premier Tech’s success in last year’s Tour de France, IPT partner Sylvan Adams acknowledged the high expectations for this year’s team. He said, “But the team we are sending this year is a strong one, and certainly can compete for stage wins…Our talented IPT squad will surprise some viewers this year. We are ready for an exciting Tour.”
The overall winner of La Route d’Occitanie, Michael Woods, is eager to continue his momentum and aims to secure a stage win in the Tour de France. He mentioned his excitement for the opening stages in the Basque Country, a region where he has previously achieved success. Woods stated, “My big ambition is to win a stage and…race a really aggressive race, trying to be as active as possible. The victory in La Route d’Occitanie gave me a lot of confidence. I’m really motivated and ready to race!”
With numerous strong performances in recent months, IPT’s General Manager, Kjell Carlström, also expressed confidence in the team’s potential for success in the Tour de France. He emphasized the difficulty in selecting the eight riders for the team, highlighting the depth and strength of the rider group. Carlström stated, “The team is versatile and balanced, and the guys can be impacting the race in almost any stage throughout the race. After the last few months of nice results, we’re eager to see what we can achieve in what will most certainly be a very competitive race.”
The IPT lineup for the Tour de France includes Guillaume Boivin, Simon Clarke, Hugo Houle, Krists Neilands, Nick Schultz, Corbin Strong, Dylan Teuns, and Michael Woods.
