2016 Tour de France fourth place finisher and white jersey winner Adam Yates will make his return to the Tour de France in 2018.
The confirmation comes as ORICA-SCOTT, to be known as Michelton-SCOTT in 2018, reveal their Grand Tour plans for 2018, which will see two-time Grand Tour podium-placer Esteban Chaves and this year’s Tour de France white jersey winner Simon Yates double-up and focus on the 101st edition of the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta Espana and young Australian sprinter Caleb Ewan also make his Tour de France debut.
The team has clear ambitions to push for high general classification results across all three Grand Tours and Head sports director Matt White believes it is a well balanced programme for the trio of climbing stars and young sprint ace Ewan.
“We’ve made it no secret that the next progression for us is to win a Grand Tour, while at the same time challenge our riders,” White explained. “With this in mind we have some exciting goals to chase across the board in all three Grand Tours at that means stages wins and general classification targets.”
Esteban Chaves – 2018 Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana
Colombian climber Chaves will return to a similar race program of 2016 that saw him finish second at the Giro d’Italia, third at the Vuelta a Espana and win Il Lombardia for the 2018 season.
After a tough season plagued with injury and personal tragedy in 2017, Chaves is looking forward to a fresh start.
White:
“The Giro d’Italia really suits Esteban’s characteristics in general. He loves the long climbs and because he grew up at high altitude, the higher the road goes the more comfortable he becomes. Next year’s edition also doesn’t have as many time trial kilometres as past years and this is also beneficial for Esteban’s ambitions in May.”
Chaves:
“I love racing in Italy. Italy gave me the hardest moments in my career but also the most beautiful ones, so I am happy to go back to Italy to race.”
“There’s just 44kilometres of time trialling and this was one of the reasons for the team’s choice and my choice to do the Giro d’Italia.
“This year we learnt a lot. Myself and all of the team are really hungry now for next season.”
Full feature (with additional quotes): http://bit.ly/2B36Ixm
Simon Yates – 2018 Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana
Having been forced to amend their Grand Tour plans this season, which saw Simon Yates race the Tour de France, 2018 will see 25-year old Yates finally make his debut in the Giro d’Italia.
Despite his young age, the Briton will draw on his experience of sixth place at the 2016 Vuelta a Espana and seventh at last year’s Tour de France to hold him in good stead for his first Italian three-week challenge.
White:
“Simon handled the pressure of riding GC at the Tour de France incredibly well this year and went straight into his second Grand Tour in one season, the Vuelta,” White continued. “I think he really gained a lot from doing two Grand Tours and it will be great to see him at the Giro for the first time next year.”
“With this programme, Esteban and Simon will have ample time to recover between the Giro and the Vuelta and we’ve used this template before with Esteban in 2016 and he came back very strong in the second half of the season. So no matter what the course looks like for the Vuelta we are confident these two guys will be ready to get the job done.”
Simon Yates:
“To keep progressing as a rider I think you need to challenge yourself in different ways, and riding the Giro instead of the Tour de France is one of these ways.”
“It will be an extremely difficult race and I look forward to the new challenge.”
Full feature (with additional quotes): http://bit.ly/2AJQoVl
Adam Yates – 2018 Tour de France
As the team’s only general classification rider at next year’s Tour de France, Adam Yates will share the leadership role with young sprinter Caleb Ewan in what will be his third Tour de France appearance.
After starting the Giro d’Italia in 2017, finishing ninth and putting in some very solid performances, Yates returns to the scene. In 2016 he went from being a world class climber to join the top echelon of the world’s GC riders with a spirited performance finishing fourth and winning the white jersey.
White:
“Adam is happy to go back to the Tour de France, after skipping it this year and taking on two Grand Tours for the first time,” White explained. “He of course had a breakthrough Tour de France in 2016, with a fourth place and winning the white jersey. He will return to France with a big year under him this year and a lot more experience in the role of leading a team for general classification.”
“We won’t be the only team heading to the Tour with a world class sprinter and GC leader and I am confident we have a group of guys who can manage helping both Caleb and Adam in this two-pronged approach.”
Adam Yates:
“It feels good to be going back to the Tour de France and I am very excited about the challenges it will bring. The Tour will always be a special race for me having watched it growing up through to getting the opportunity to race it for the first time in 2015.”
“I am still developing as a rider and, as always, do not feel pressure after my result in 2016, I will do my best and we will see how it goes. It was good to try a different race programme last year but there is no denying that I am looking forward to lining up in Vendee next July.”
