Jayco Alula have confirmed their 30-man roster for the 2024 season, with six new additions fortifying the squad in sprinting, climbing and for future years.
“Our preparations for 2024 are nicely underway and we imagine that our males’s staff roster is likely one of the strongest we’ve seen lately with these thrilling new signings,” stated staff supervisor Brent Copeland.
Prime sprinter Caleb Ewan has returned to the Australian staff after 5 years at Lotto Dstny, however his addition implies that two of the quickest riders on the planet will likely be preventing for the most important dash alternatives, after Dylan Groenewegen additionally extending with Jayco AlUla till 2025.
The pair can have parallel race programmes to keep away from any points, with devoted leadout trains assigned to each riders. German Max Walscheid was introduced in from Cofidis to bolster the Australian staff’s dash leadout.
“We’ve been engaged on our dash lead-out group lots the previous yr and have added additional power to it for subsequent season,” stated Copeland.
“To have two of one of the best sprinters on the planet on the staff, with Caleb and Dylan, you will need to have the proper assist group and we imagine with our new rider signings, and the way in which our present riders have developed and gelled collectively this yr, we can have among the finest dash teams within the WorldTour peloton for the 2024 season.”
Jayco AlUla added additional Australian expertise by signing Luke Plapp from Ineos Grenadiers and he’ll be part of the robust climbing and stage race core of riders that features Simon Yates, Eddie Dunbar, Chris Harper and Filippo Zana. Michael Matthews can be a staff chief for the Classics and Grand Tour phases.
“Over the previous couple of years, we’ve got created a strong climbing group, riders that may win in their very own proper but additionally assist our leaders,” stated Copeland.
“We’ve quite a lot of depth now within the staff and with massively gifted riders becoming a member of us in 2024, we are able to solely anticipate extra in stage races and hilly one-day occasions.”
At solely 22, Plapp is a part of the Australian staff’s improvement for the longer term alongside fellow younger signings Mauro Schmid, who has already gained a Giro stage win, Italian expertise Davide De Pretto (21) and Danish all-rounder Anders Foldager (22).
Foldager was a constant performer in 2023 and took wins on the Tour de L’Avenir and Giro Subsequent Gen, whereas De Pretto gained the factors classification on the Giro Subsequent Gen with 4 top-ten stage finishes.
“We’re actually specializing in the following technology of riders. We noticed this yr that our youngest riders actually stepped up and displayed the potential they’ve,” stated Copeland.
“This proves to us that we’ve got a strong working setting to get one of the best out of younger expertise, we’ve got quite a lot of older skilled riders inside the staff, and that is essential in growing the following technology.
“Having the expertise of De Pretto, Foldager but additionally Schmid, who continues to be a younger rider, it is going to be very attention-grabbing to see what they will obtain in 2024 with the assist of a WorldTour staff.”
The staff’s title sponsor AlUla – an historical metropolis in Saudi Arabia’s north-west and residential to a world heritage website – additionally grew to become the title of the previous Saudi Tour. The ASO-organised UCI 2.1 race will run from January 30 to February 3 subsequent yr.
“The brand new AlUla Tour guarantees to take biking to a different stage this yr. Welcoming the game’s elite expertise and groups on the UCI Asian Tour throughout 5 difficult phases showcases one of the best of AlUla as a sporting vacation spot,” stated Phillip Jones, Royal Fee for AlUla chief tourism officer.
Jayco AlUla males’s roster 2024
- Welay Hagos Berhe (ETH)
- Lawson Craddock (USA)
- Alessandro De Marchi (ITA)
- Davide De Pretto (ITA) *New Signing
- Eddie Dunbar (IRL)
- Luke Durbridge (AUS)
- Felix Engelhardt (GER)
- Caleb Ewan (AUS) *New Signing
- Anders Foldager (DEN) *New Signing
- Dylan Groenewegen (NED)
- Lucas Hamilton (AUS)
- Chris Harper (AUS)
- Michael Hepburn (AUS)
- Amund Grøndahl Jansen (NOR)
- Chris Juul-Jensen (DEN)
- Jan Maas (NED)
- Michael Matthews (AUS)
- Luka Mezgec (SLO)
- Kelland O’Brien (AUS)
- Jesús David Peña (COL)
- Luke Plapp (AUS) *New Signing
- Rudy Porter (AUS)
- Blake Fast (AUS)
- Elmar Reinders (NED)
- Mauro Schmid (SUI) *New Signing
- Callum Scotson (AUS)
- Campbell Stewart (NZL)
- Max Walscheid (GER) *New Signing
- Simon Yates (GBR)
- Fillipo Zana (ITA)
