Aleksandr Vlasov will be aiming for Tour de France podium, BORA confirms
Cycling
Aleksandr Vlasov will be leading BORA - hansgrohe, specially after the absence of Sam Bennett was confirmed. The Russian climber will be making his debut in the race, but will be heading in ambitious in the helm of the German team.
"...We have performed very well in stage races so far, we’re on a path of becoming a GC team and with the selection of riders for this Tour de France, we’re pushing forward on this path. Aleksandr Vlasov is our GC leader," team DS Rolf Aldag said in a press release. The Russian's ambitions into the Tour are relatively unknown due to his recent Covid-19 infection and also as it will be his debut in the Grand Boucle.
However Vlasov has given enough evidence over the last few years, and this season particularly that he will be in contention for the top places in the race: GC wins at the Tour de Romandie and Volta a Valencia, third at Itzulia Basque Country, fourth at UAE Tour and was leading the Tour de Suisse until he tested positive heading into the mountains. The 26-year old has several wins to his name this season, and will be looking to keep it up this July.
Ralph Denk has reinstated these ambitions: "Over the past couple of years, we’ve had three top-ten results in the Tour and now we’re aiming for a podium. Of course, it’s a tough goal but with the performance we’ve seen from Aleksandr Vlasov this season it’s a realistic goal..." he said.
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Although BORA has focused more of it's climbing firepower towards the Giro and Vuelta lineup, it's Tour squad includes also Felix Grossschartner, Max Schachmann and Patrick Konrad. "We have a strong team with full support for him over every terrain. We want to show an active and attacking style of racing, focus on the GC and maybe even take a stage win. I’d be very happy on the Champs-Élysées if we achieve these goals," he concluded.
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