"Matteo Jorgenson is a rider we should all be watching this July" according to Tour de France legend Chris Froome

Arguably the signing of the season based on performances to date, Matteo Jorgenson has gone from strength to strength since joining Team Visma | Lease a Bike over the most recent off-season. According to four time Tour de France winner Chris Froome, the American will be one to watch at the 2024 edition of cycling's most notable race.

Previewing the 2024 Tour de France, Froome names Jorgenson as the fourth favourite to win the Maillot Jaune, behind only Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard and Primoz Roglic. "I know that a lot of people would have Remco Evenepoel either in fourth or higher but I’ve gone for the American rider Matteo Jorgenson," Froome, who himself missed out on selection for this year's Tour de France, says in conversation with the Escape Collective.

Already in 2024, Jorgenson has won Dwars door Vlaanderen and Paris-Nice, plus narrowly missed out on the Maillot Jaune at the Criterium du Dauphine by seconds to Primoz Roglic despite proving considerably the strongest on the final climb of the final stage. "I think he’s a potential card for Visma to use in the GC and he was really on point at the Dauphiné earlier this month, where he was second overall behind Roglic," Froome recalls.

"We’ve really seen him make massive progress this year, and I know he doesn’t have the same level of Grand Tour experience as some of the riders on this list but I think you need to consider momentum in these circumstances," Froome continues, tempering expectations ever so slightly. "Visma has been hit hard by bad luck this season but Jorgenson has been consistent and successful at almost every turn. Obviously, the team will go into the Tour de France with Jonas as their number one and most protected rider, and Sepp Kuss (has since been withdrawn from the lineup due to a positive Covid test ed.) can’t be ruled out, but Jorgenson is a rider we should all be watching this July."