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 consider that our males’s crew roster is likely one of the strongest we’ve seen in recent times with these thrilling new signings,” stated crew supervisor Brent Copeland.
Prime sprinter Caleb Ewan has returned to the Australian crew after 5 years at Lotto Dstny, however his addition implies that two of the quickest riders on the earth might be combating for the largest dash alternatives, after Dylan Groenewegen additionally extending with Jayco AlUla till 2025.
The pair may 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 crew’s dash leadout.
“We’ve been engaged on our dash lead-out group loads the previous yr and have added additional energy to it for subsequent season,” stated Copeland.
“To have two of the perfect sprinters on the earth on the crew, with Caleb and Dylan, you will need to have the correct help group and we consider with our new rider signings, and the way in which our present riders have developed and gelled collectively this yr, we may have probably the greatest 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 a 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 also be a crew chief for the Classics and Grand Tour levels.
“Over the previous couple of years, we’ve created a strong climbing group, riders that may win in their very own proper but in addition help our leaders,” stated Copeland.
“We’ve loads of depth now within the crew and with massively proficient riders becoming a member of us in 2024, we will solely count on extra in stage races and hilly one-day occasions.”
At solely 22, Plapp is a part of the Australian crew’s improvement for the long run 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 subsequent era 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 a strong working atmosphere to get the perfect out of younger expertise, we’ve loads of older skilled riders inside the crew, and that is essential in creating the subsequent era.
“Having the expertise of De Pretto, Foldager but in addition Schmid, who continues to be a younger rider, it will likely be very fascinating to see what they’ll obtain in 2024 with the help of a WorldTour crew.”
The crew’s title sponsor AlUla – an historical metropolis in Saudi Arabia’s north-west and residential to a world heritage website – additionally turned 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 levels showcases the perfect 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)
