Sam Bennett will not make a return to the Tour de France this year as his Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale team has named its line-up for the three-week race, with the Irishman not included.
Bennett rode the Giro d'Italia earlier this and while a Giro-Tour double would be unusual, it is far from unheard of. The Irishman has also not raced since the end of the Italian Grand Tour a month ago, making it more feasible he may get the nod for the Tour de France.
However, Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale has opted for a team that it says will take on an attacking style of racing, especially on the hilly stages. Even Felix Gall , who would be an obvious general classification team leader, is opting to put the GC on the back burner and focus on taking a stage win.
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Sébastien Joly, the team's 'sport strategy director' said the goal was "to adopt an offensive strategy in order to seek a stage victory" during the race.
"To do this, we will be able to count on our punchers in the first week, then on the best climbers in the squad as we approach the Pyrenees and the Alps," he said.
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"Unlike last year, when we raced defensively, we hope that a good place in the general classification for Felix Gall will come from his breakaway attempts. Felix is one of the best climbers in the peloton, he is confident, and will be keen to repeat his performance from 2023; a stage victory in Courchevel on the queen stage."
Along with Gall, the team is comprised of Oliver Naesen, Stefan Bissegger, Bruno Armirail, Callum Scotson, Clément Berthet, Aurélien Paret-Peintre and Bastien Tronchon.
Though Bennett was never really tipped to be in this team for the Tour, as his Giro selection was seen as effectively ruling him out, it is disappointing he will not be on the start line.
Bennett was selected for the Tour last year during his first season with Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale. However, he was forced out during stage 17 after suffering from stomach problems on the race, an issue that dogged him during the summer months. He took a best finish of 4th into Nîmes the day before he was forced to abandon.
Last year was Bennett's only appearance in the Tour since his massive performance in the 2020 edition when he won two stages, including on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. He also claimed the green jersey for points classification winner, after a head-to-head battle with Peter Sagan, who made that classification his own for much of his career.
However, after that 2020 performance Bennett was hit by injury, ruling him out of the following year's race. And his battle to regain top form meant he was not selected when he went back to Bora-hansgrohe for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
