2016 Tour de France fourth place finisher and white jersey winner Adam Yates will make his return to the Tour de France in 2018.
The confirmation comes as Orica-Scott, to be known as Michelton-Scott in 2018, revealed their Grand Tour plans for 2018, which will see Esteban Chaves and this year’s Tour de France white jersey winner Simon Yates double-up and focus on the 101st edition of the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta Espana and young Australian sprinter Caleb Ewan also make his Tour de France debut.
“We’ve made it no secret that the next progression for us is to win a Grand Tour, while at the same time challenge our riders,” head sports director Matt White explained. “With this in mind we have some exciting goals to chase across the board in all three Grand Tours at that means stages wins and general classification targets.”
Colombian climber Chaves will return to a similar race program of 2016 that saw him finish second at the Giro d’Italia, third at the Vuelta a Espana and win Il Lombardia for the 2018 season.
“I love racing in Italy. Italy gave me the hardest moments in my career but also the most beautiful ones, so I am happy to go back to Italy to race”, said Chaves.
“There’s just 44kilometres of time trialling and this was one of the reasons for the team’s choice and my choice to do the Giro d’Italia.
“This year we learnt a lot. Myself and all of the team are really hungry now for next season.”
As the team’s only general classification rider at next year’s Tour de France, Adam Yates will share the leadership role with young sprinter Caleb Ewan in what will be his third Tour de France appearance.
“It feels good to be going back to the Tour de France and I am very excited about the challenges it will bring. The Tour will always be a special race for me having watched it growing up through to getting the opportunity to race it for the first time in 2015”, said Adam Yates.
“I am still developing as a rider and, as always, do not feel pressure after my result in 2016, I will do my best and we will see how it goes. It was good to try a different race programme last year but there is no denying that I am looking forward to lining up in Vendee next July.”
