Belgian sprinter Jordi Meeus has expressed his surprise at being picked by Bora-hansgrohe for the Tour de France ahead of Ireland's Sam Bennett. The selection choice has raised more than a few eyebrows when it was confirmed last week, with that sense only reinforced now that Meeus has explained his planned role in the Tour.
He also said the team had initially told him its selection for the Tour would be based around Bennett, who was set to be ride, with lead-out support, to target stage wins.
However, at some point - and it now sounds very last minute, based on these remarks by Meeus - the team's management changed their minds and rather than selecting Bennett they opted for the Belgian rider.
“I knew I was in the (long-list), but a number of people within the team told me that a team was being built around Bennett,” Meeus said. “So I was surprised when I got the phone call, but I didn't really fall out of the blue either. I am of course very happy with it.”
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He added he was informed yesterday week he had been picked for the team and was informed of his selection after a planned management meeting. He will now be led out in the sprints at the Tour by Danny van Poppel. Meeus rightly sees him as a huge asset, noting he has not had the benefit of such a good lead-out before now.
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“We sent each other some messages after the selection was announced and we also called once afterwards," Meeus told WielerFlits of only starting to get to know Van Poppel. "I get on well with him and we often train together on internships. That is certainly good. If I can keep on Van Poppel's wheel, I know that I will be close to a stage victory."
However, he said while he was really hoping to take a stage win, it would not be a major disaster if that goal wasn't achieved.
“I know there will probably be a sprint in stages three, four and seven. I think there is a total of five, six or seven sprint chances," he said. "The goal, of course, is to win one of them. But if I can't win one, my Tour is not necessarily a success."
While the 24-year-old is a very good sprinter and a solid prospect, his palmares is nowhere near that of Bennett. Even in a quieter season last year, Bennett still won two Vuelta stages. And while he only has one win under his belt this year, Meeus also only has one victory and has only ever ridden one Grand Tour, La Vuelta in 2021.
While Meeus's only win this season has been at Circuit de Charleroi Wallonie (1.1), he has taken nine podium placings. He now goes to the Tour, he says, as leader of the team's modest sprint set-up, but with Danny van Poppel as lead-out man. The remainder of the team is set up to support the general classification challenge of last year's Giro winner, Jai Hindley, who is fancied by many for a podium finish in Paris.
