Megan Armitage now has a real chance of riding this year's Tour de France Femmes after he team was issued one of the wildcard entries by race owners, Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO).
Armitage's team, Arkéa Pro Cycling, was named today as one of five teams to receive a wild card alongside AG Insurance-Soudal Quickstep, Cofidis, St Michel Mavic-Auber 93 and Coop-Hitec Products.
They will join top two ranked Continental teams, Ceratizit-WNT and Lifeplus Wahoo, who are automatically invited. The 15 women's World Tour teams also get an automatic invite, including Irish rider Mia Griffin's Israel Premier Tech Roland.
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That raises the prospect of two Irish riders being in the start line when the race starts in Clermont-Ferrand on July 23rd, the same day the men's race concludes in Paris. The women's race this year also takes in the Pyrenees, including a finish on Col du Tourmalet.
Armitage has ridden very well this year, winning the final stage and the overall at Vuelta Extremadura Féminas (2.2) in Spain last month. Crucially, she has proven herself one of the best climbers in her team, which should secure her a place in the team's Tour starting line-up.
