Dan Martin has been named as the leader of UAE Team Emirates line-up for the Tour de France, with Fabio Aru has selected.
The team has been revealed today and Aru is picked after
racing well of late following surgery for an iliac artery issue.
He raced at the Tour de Suisse last week, climbing well
though fading on the final two stages as he lacks racing.
However, team manager Joxean Matxin said everyone was glad to have Aru back and were impressed with him.
“The team is well balanced, with four riders geared towards the climbs and four rouleurs for the flatlands,” he said of the Tour line-up.
“We can cope well with all situations that the race will throw up, including the team time trial.
"We’ve got some big names in our squad, and they’re sure to be up in the action.
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“The inclusion of Aru will be interesting for sure, and we’re excited about his quick progress.
"It’s also a big moment for young Philipsen who will make his debut at the Grande Boucle."
While Aru is former Grand Tour winner, Dan Martin is the
clear leader of the squad for the Tour de France.
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However, Aru may be expected to get strong as the race continues given his lack of racing so far this season.
The team’s sprinter Fernando Gaviria misses out as he is
injured, meaning the team is clearly geared towards the general classification.
However, it still has some sprint options with Alexander Kristoff.
In the team with Martin, Aru and Kristoff are: Sven Erik
Bystrøm, Rui Costa, Sergio Henao, Vegard Stake Laengen and Jasper Philipsen.
Dan Martin said he was “really excited” about riding the
Tour, which starts on Sunday week.
“I feel good in training and the Dauphiné went really well, even if we didn’t see the same aggressive racing in the mountains that we normally do,” he said.
“I’ve come out of the Dauphiné well and I like the look of the course this year, plus we have a super strong team with a lot of different options and cards to play. I’m just looking forward to get started now.”
For his part, Aru said he was glad to be back racing again after a period on the sidelines.
“The feedback on my recovery is encouraging, I feel good which has led to my selection for the Tour de France,” he said.
“I will not be in France to worry about the general classification. The Grande Boucle will be an exciting new chapter as I reboot my season.
“I expect that my performance will improve step by step, I will fight to be competitive and to help the overall objectives of the team and will aim for a stage win if the conditions are right.”
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