Great Britain’s Dan McLay will make his Tour de France debut having been confirmed as one of Fortuneo-Vital Concept’s nine riders for the race.
McLay, 24, has picked up two victories for the French UCI ProContinental team this season, winning the GP de Denain and Grand Prix de la Somme to earn a place on the Mont-Saint-Michel startline on Saturday (July 2).
And McLay will look for sprint success at the Tour with directeur sportif Sebastien Hinault backing the Brit to cause an upset.
“This is the revelation of the year,” Hinault said. “After winning the GP Denain, he realised his potential and good results followed.
“His objective will be to do as much as possible in the sprints. I have identified six that might suit. He goes fast, he’s tough, he knows his place and makes his team-mates trust him.
“We will play and hope for the best.”
Norwegian Vegard Breen and France’s Armindo Fonseca will provide McLay’s lead-out in France, and McLay is relishing the prospect of racing the biggest race of the season.
“I’m looking forward to this challenge even if the pressure will be high initially,” he said. “I remember, when I was younger, watching the race on television. I imagined being there. I will do my best in the sprints and to help the team.”
Brice Feillu, a former Tour de France stage winner, is also selected with the aim of clocking up the mountain points.
Danish former Tinkoff rider Chris Anker Sorensen and Argentine Eduardo Sepulveda were already confirmed by the team for the Tour, meanwhile, as were French trio Anthony Delaplace, Pierre-Luc Perichon and Florian Vachon.
McLay’s inclusion takes the number of Brits on the startline for the race up to eight, with only Tinkoff left to confirm their nine-man line-up.
Dan McLay (GBR)
Eduardo Sepulveda (ARG)
Chris Anker Sorensen (DEN)
Florian Vachon (FRA)
Anthony Delaplace (FRA)
Vegard Breen (NOR)
Pierre-Luc Perichon (FRA)
Brice Feillu (FRA)
Armindo Fonseca (FRA)
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