Matteo Jorgenson very positive on Tour de France debut

Matteo Jorgenson is on Movistar's Tour de France shortlist, and if he overcomes this week's eight-stage Critérium du Dauphiné, things will be looking good. for him.

“Nothing is confirmed until after the Dauphiné,” Jorgenson said . “I feel confident I will be there and I’ve been given all the indications, but you really never know until they finalize the team.” Jorgenson was initially scheduled to compete in the Giro d'Italia this spring. However, a thigh muscle injury during the Paris-Nice race put a kink in his racing schedule.

After what was supposed to be a brief break grew into a month-long hiatus. “It was right after Paris-Nice that we first started talking about the Tour, I was supposed to do the Giro, but I had a bad injury, and as soon as we knew it was going to be three weeks off the bike, they said the Giro is definitely off the table, so it opened up a good opportunity to build for the Tour." he said

“I tore my hamstring right behind the knee,” he continued. “It was a small injury when I crashed in the crosswinds in stage 3, but I kept racing through it because I was on a good GC and I was in the white jersey. Unfortunately, it became worse and it was a very serious tear, In the end, it was a mistake, but when you’re in the race, you want to keep going.”

Jorgenson is back to full strength after a recovery break and finished sixth in the Mercan'Tour Classic Alpes-Maritimes last week. The official Tour selection will not be announced until after the Dauphiné. “There are nine of us on the Tour list,” he said. “Eight go, so I hope to make it, but we’ll know for sure after the Dauphiné. I’m excited for it. It would be the highlight of my life so far.” he said.

Jorgenson competes in the Dauphiné for the first time this week. The event has traditionally been associated with the Tour, and many of the yellow jersey favorites are competing this week. “This Dauphiné is an important stepping stone for me personally, and it will be a good week to see where I am at now and going into the Tour. This race is really important for the whole team. We have a good leader in Enric, and we hope to show what he’s capable of, ”Jorgenson said before the race.

Jorgenson is crystal clear what his role will be during this week’s Dauphiné and at the Tour if makes the final eight-rider roster. “My job is to keep him out of the wind, and to try to get as far as I can in the mountains on the weekend, need to stay close to Enric and being to show that I am climbing well to show that I have a good level.” he said.

If Jorgenson is chosen for the Tour, it will be another milestone in his rapid growth. He joined Movistar in 2020, just out of his teens, and made an immediate impression in his neo-pro season, despite the coronavirus pandemic. He finished in the top ten at Paris-Nice last year and will make his grand tour debut at the 2021 Giro. Everything is gearing up for the Tour. Jorgenson can only hope to make the final cut.

“It would be super, super special to race the Tour, Just the thought of being able to say I am going to race the Tour is pretty exciting. As an American, it’s the only race that Americans really even know about. It would be pretty cool. It’s pretty exciting.” he concluded.