Simon Yates comes into Tour de France with open goals - "I was ready for a change"

Simon Yates is a lover of the Giro d'Italia, but this year he has opted with something different. The mountain-filled Tour de France provided the Briton with a great opportunity and also a set of new goals, and he comes in as a leader for Team Jayco AlUla.

"I was ready for a change. In recent years I have mainly focused on the Giro, which is still a race that is close to my heart. With a different season structure, I was also able to do races such as the Tour de Romandie and Tour of the Basque Country, which I also enjoy doing," Yates told In de Leiderstrui. He rode Romandie, but has had to abandon on the second day.

He has since not raced. He enters the Tour de France as the only GC contender who comes in without racing - whilst in the Giro d'Italia, race winner Primoz Roglic took the same formula. "I got a bit sick during the preparation and then we decided to stay informed. We believed that an altitude camp would be the best preparation. I was able to train well there and prepare myself for the Tour that way."

However, he comes as Team Jayco AlUla's secondary leader perhaps, as the team devoted most of it's domestique to support Dylan Groenewegen. This has an impact on his ambitions, the Briton is unsure if he will try to fight for a strong place in the overall classification, or fight for stage wins and possibly the KOM classification. However, that's something that will only be seen throughout the race.

"We'll take it as it comes. It's been a long time since I went for a classification in the Tour. As soon as we get further in the game, we'll see how I develop. In any case, I would have no problem chasing other goals, for example winning stages from the breakaway."

The race start in the Basque Country will be one that suits him, however that is something positive for the 30-year old. "I'm looking forward to the tough start here in the Basque Country, which will probably take some of the pressure off. A Tour start is always hectic, but now it seems to be a bit more selective than a start in, say, Normandie or Bretagne."

“I think every climber sits as an option for the first two rides. You don't often get the option to take the yellow jersey in the first stage of the Tour, so I think a lot of riders will race aggressively. Anyway, it's good for me. I always enjoy racing in the Basque Country, the fans are great."

"They really love the sport and that is very nice to see. My mindset is no different than for other grand tours. I still have the focus, but flying under the radar doesn't have to be a disadvantage. On the contrary," he concluded.