TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE-JAYCO ANNOUNCES TOUR DE FRANCE SQUAD
Posted by Eric Roque on
FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2022
Team BikeExchange-Jayco unveiled its 2022 Tour de France squad, revealing a diverse roster of experienced veterans, young talents, and former stage winners at the world’s premier stage race.
The eight-man team features Dutch sprinter Dylan Groenewegen, a four-time stage winner at the Tour, and Australian Michael Matthews, who has three career Tour de France stage victories and won the points competition in 2017. With a combined total of 40 Tour de France appearances, it's an experienced squad starting the three-week grand tour this Friday in Copenhagen.
In addition to Groenwegen and Matthews, who will both be hunting for stage wins, the team includes veterans Luke Durbridge of Australia making his eighth Tour de France appearance and Jack Bauer of New Zealand starting his seventh Tour.
Danish rider Chris Juul-Jensen starts his fifth tour on home soil for the Grand Depart in Copenhagen, and Norwegian Gmund Grøndahl is also making his fifth start. Slovenian Luka Mezgec, who had two second-place stage finishes at the 2020 Tour, makes his third start, and Australian Nick Schultz is the only rider on the team making his Tour de France debut.
“It’s almost time for the spectacle that is the Tour de France and we’re delighted our fans and sponsors will be able to join us and be a part of what is one of the biggest sporting events in the world,” said the team’s general manager Brent Copeland. “Our technical staff have been working hard over the past months to select a well-balanced team ready to challenge for stage victories, which is our main objective for this year’s race, and we are looking forward to taking every opportunity with both hands.”
For Groenewegen, who has five race wins so far this year, this will be his first Tour start since 2019. “I will have a strong team, the best support that I need with really good lead-out men like Luka Mezgec,” Groenwegen said. “We’ve been working a lot together this year, we’ve had some good wins and that is the big goal for us in France. The sprints at the Tour are always hectic, not only with all the sprinters but there’s always general classification riders trying to stay at the front too for the time, so it’s always busy in the bunch and this makes it different to other races. Having these experience riders around me in the finals will be important during the whole Tour.”
Select riders including Groenewegen, Matthews and Mezgec will be racing the new, next-generation Propel Advanced SL Disc aero road bike. All the Team BikeExchange-Jayco riders have a full quiver of Giant bikes and CADEX WheelSystems to choose from based on the stage routes and terrain. In addition to the new Propel Advanced SL for flatter, rolling stages and sprints, they have the all-rounder TCR Advanced SL Disc for mountain and hilly stages. And for the two time trial stages—Stage 1 in Copenhagen and the penultimate Stage 20—they have their Trinity Advanced Pro TT machines.
Beyond the bikes, riders also have several Giant helmets and shoes to choose from. The Pursuit helmet is the top choice for most sprinters, while the Rev Pro is typically favored by climbers and GC riders. Some of the riders will also be riding with the new Giant Surge Pro shoes.
Here’s a look at the full Team BikeExchange-Jayco Tour de France roster, plus some rider stats and stage details:
Team BikeExchange-Jayco Tour de France roster
Jack Bauer (NZL) – 7th appearance
Luke Durbridge (AUS) – 8th appearance
Dylan Groenewegen (NED) – 5th appearance
Amund Grøndahl Jansen (NOR) – 5th appearance
Chris Juul-Jensen (DEN) – 5th appearance
Michael Matthews (AUS) – 7th appearance
Luka Mezgec (SLO) – 3rd appearance
Nick Schultz (AUS) – Debut appearance
Tour de France Team Stats
Youngest rider: Nick Schultz (27)
Oldest rider: Jack Bauer (37)
Tour de France debutants: Nick Schultz (1x)
Most Tour de France appearances: Luke Durbridge (8x)
Total Tour de France appearances: (40x)
2022 Tour de France Race Details
Friday, 1st July, Stage 1: Copenhagen to Copenhagen, 13km ITT
Saturday, 2nd July, Stage 2: Roskilde to Nyborg, 199km
Sunday, 3rd July, Stage 3: Vejle to Sønderborg, 182km
Monday, 4th July, Rest Day/ Travel Day
Tuesday, 5th July, Stage 4: Dunkerque to Calais, 172km
Wednesday, 6th July, Stage 5: Lille Metropole to Arenberg, 155km
Thursday, 7th July, Stage 6: Binche to Longwy, 220km
Friday, 8th July, Stage 7: Tomblaine to La Super Planche des Belles Filles, 176km
Saturday, 9th July, Stage 8: Dole to Lausanne, 184km
Sunday, 10th July, Stage 9: Aigle to Chater Les Porte du Soleil, 183km
Monday, 11th July, Rest Day
Tuesday, 12th July, Stage 10: Morzine Les Portes Du Soleil to Megeve, 148km
Wednesday, 13th July, Stage 11: Albertville to Col du Granon Serre Chevalier, 149km
Thursday, 14th July, Stage 12: Briancon to Alpe d’Huez, 166km
Friday, 15th July, Stage 13: Le Bourg d’Oisans to Saint-Etienne, 193km
Saturday, 16th July, Stage 14: Saint-Etienne, Mende, 195km
Sunday, 17th July, Stage 15: Rodez to Carcassonne, 200km
Monday, 18th July, Rest Day
Tuesday, 19th July, Stage 16: Carcassonne to Foix
Wednesday, 20th July, Stage 17: Saint-Gaudens to Peyragudes, 130km
Thursday, 21st July, Stage 18: Lourdes to Hautacam, 143km
Friday, 22nd July, Stage 19: Castelnau-Magnoac to Cahors, 189km
Saturday, 23rd July, Stage 20: Lacapelle-Marival to Rocamadour, 40km
Sunday, 24th July, Stage 21: Paris La Défense Arena to Paris Champs Elysees, 112km
Total Distance: 3,328 kilometers
Total Elevation Gain: 48,530 meters
Source:
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/global/news/team-bikeexchange-jayco-announces-tour-de-france-squad/27040