Luke Plapp dreams of yellow jersey at Tour de Romandie: "The Tour will come down to the 15km stage four TT"

After a stint in the yellow jersey and sixth place at Paris-Nice, Luke Plapp returned to good form after abandoning the Tour Down Under as a big favourite. Now ahead of his big goal of the season, the Giro d'Italia, the Team Jayco AlUla rider also looks to perform at the Tour de Romandie.

“I’m really looking forward to Romandie and to be able to race with both Simon [Yates] and Eddie [Dunbar]," Plapp said in a press release issued by the team. "All of us could be capable of a strong GC result so I think we can play off each other quite nicely. I’ve been in altitude since Sanremo building towards both Romandie and the Giro so I’m looking forward to seeing how my shape is heading into the Giro!"

The focus is clear. As a strong time-trialist and good climber, Plapp wants to develop into a Grand Tour contender. The Giro will feature a modest list of GC contenders which provides him with a better opportunity, and his training this season has been focused on this evolution as a rider - with INEOS Grenadiers, he only managed to race one Grand Tour. Plapp is using Romandie as a final stepping stone ahead of the Corsa Rosa.

"Romandie has always been a favourite race of mine. I had a great race in my first year pro here and the region of Aigle where we race is one of my favourite places to ride a bike in the world," he continues. "With Two TT’s and the chance to wear the Aussie TT colours for the first time this year is also going to be great!"

Plapp is a contender to take the lead on the prologue in the opening day of the race, but also for the mid-week time-trial which offers up another opportunity for him to make the difference. The race will also feature two proper mountain stages with summit finishes, where he will be joined by Simon Yates and Eddie Dunbar who can each chase their own results as well.

"⁠I think with the team we have on paper we are hoping to be right up there in the GC ranks and have a few cards to play! I believe the Tour will come down to the 15km stage four TT, so that will definitely be a focus for myself," he confirms. "With Simon as a leader and myself and Eddie there to play a big roll of support and having some opportunities as well.”