British Rider Adam Yates targets 2019 Tour de France podium

British pro cyclist Adam Yates, described as one of the best climbers in the world, will target a top three spot on the 2019 Tour de France

Team boss Matthew White confirmed that Adam would lead the team on the Tour whilst his twin brother Simon, who won the Vuelta a Espana last season, will target victory at the Giro d'Italia.

"Adam showed in 2016 that he can mix it with the big boys at the Tour de France," the Australian said of Yates' breakout performance winning the White jersey for best young rider that year.

"We are heading back this year with ambitions of Adam challenging for a spot on the podium come July," he said.

"Adam will have a great team supporting him and I really believe he is going to show what he is capable of."

"He is one of the best climbers in the world and helping him to put it all together for three weeks on the biggest stage is an exciting challenge," White said.

The 26-year-old rider said he was already mentally preparing for an assault on the mountainous 2019 Tour.

It's Good To Go Back

"I'm super excited to go back to the Tour this year," Adam Yates said.

"Last year we made some mistakes that cost us and it was a big disappointment, so it'll be good to go back and rectify that," he said in reference to his costly Stage 16 crash.

"Even though the Tour is a long way away at this moment in time... in the back of my mind everything I'm doing is build up for the Tour," Yates said.

Yates started his season in Spain, finishing eighth overall in the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, where he won stage four, and then coming fifth in the Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol, where Simon took victory on the fourth stage and won the mountains classification.

Those stage wins have contributed to a total of eight for the team in the early part of the season, which the Australian-registered squad usually start strongly with so much racing on home soil.

"Already this year the team has been really committed in all aspects and it just goes to show because the results are flowing," Yates added.

"Even though the Tour is a long way away at this moment in time and there's a lot of races before we get there, it's a good feeling to see the team working so well so early in the season."

"Obviously 2016 was a highlight for me personally, riding almost two weeks in the white jersey and eventually finishing fourth on general classification was an amazing experience and confirmed to myself that I can ride at the highest level for three weeks."

2019 Route Suits Yates

White said the 2019 route would suit Adam over the three weeks.

"It is an interesting course with limited time trial kilometres and some very high passes, which have not been seen before in the Tour de France," he explained.

"Avoiding Western France makes that first week a little less tense. We are in the mountains quite early and with a team time trial day two we will certainly see the lay of the land quite early in proceedings."