Video - Ireland's Gaffney centre stage in Jayco AlUla Tour de France launch

David Gaffney leads Ryan Mullen and George Peden in the U23-senior men's road race at the National Road Championships in Cong, Co Mayo, on Sunday (Photo: Toby Watson)

David Gaffney may be a bit too young to be in consideration for the Tour de France this year, but that didn't stop the Waterford teenager being centre stage when Australian World Tour team, Jayco AlUla, unveiled its Tour line-up.

Gaffney – who won bronze in the junior road race at the Europeans last year - rides for Hagens Berman Jayco. It is the U23 feeder team for Jayco AlUla, which enlisted him for its video marking the Tour team launch.

The clip, below, features the Irishman riding around the iconic landmarks of Barcelona, where the Tour is starting on Saturday, delivering the letters informing the World Tour riders they've made the cut for the big one.

The team's general classification leader, Australian Ben O'Connor, calls him into action, giving Gaffney the bag with the vital letters.

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The clip was filmed on the final stage at Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (2.UWT) back in March. Gaffney spent some of the day with the World Tour riders and staff before filming around Barcelona, having travelled from his base in Girona.

As well as O'Connor, the team named for the Tour includes debutants Felix Engelhardt and Kelland O’Brien, as well as Luke Durbridge, who’s making his 12th appearance in the race.

Also selected are: Pascal Ackermann, Michael Matthews, Luke Plapp and Mauro Schmid.

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In O'Connor, the team has a rider capable of a top five general classification performance, as well as taking a stage. Furthermore, Plapp, Schmid and Matthews are also all very good stage win bets.

For his part, if Gaffney keeps up the excellent progress he has made this season, his first at U23 level, it's only a matter of time before he's named in a Tour starting line-up, though he has plenty of time for that.

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