Wout Poels has to prove form at Route de Sud if he wants to race Tour de France
Team Sky's Wout Poels has been told that he must prove his form at next week's Route de Sud if he wants to race the Tour de France in support of Chris Froome
Wout Poels, one of Chris Froome's key lieutenants, has been told that he must prove his form at next week's Route de Sud if he wants to race the Tour de France.
The Dutchman, in his third year at Team Sky, has endured a frustrating season having not raced because of a knee injury since finishing fourth at the Ruta del Sol in mid-February; he only has 10 race days to his name all season.
Poels has been training for the last month and is set to race the four-stage Route de Sud which begins on June 15.
If he can show that he has recovered from his injuries, and also demonstrate his climbing powers, then he could be considered for a spot in Sky's Tour de France team.
Failure to alleviate concerns, however, will mean that Poels will not race July's Grand Tour and that would represent a blow to Froome.
"If Wout is on form, he's a pretty certain factor [he will race the Tour]," Sky's sport director Servais Knaven is quoted as saying in AD, a Dutch newspaper.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
"But for us it is a wait and see. He has been out of racing for a long time and has only been training for a month.
"We want to see what his level is in a race and see how his knee holds up. In a training session you decide when you go hard and when you recover. It a race it can take up to five hours."
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
A freelance sports journalist and podcaster, you'll mostly find Chris's byline attached to news scoops, profile interviews and feature writing across a variety of different publications. He has been writing regularly for Cycling Weekly since 2013.
Previously a ski, hiking and cycling guide in a number of places, but mostly in the Canadian Rockies and Spanish Pyrenees, he almost certainly holds the record for the most number of interviews conducted from snowy mountains.
He lives in Valencia, Spain.
-
Among market turmoil, Colnago boasts €55 million in sales: CEO shares the brand’s secret
Colnago’s growth has tripled since the brand’s acquisition by new majority stakeholders in 2020 and seems impervious to the downturn. Here's why.
By Anne-Marije Rook Published
-
Why e-bike torque numbers matter more than you think
You should choose an e-bike based on torque, not just power
By Paul Norman Published
-
'It was time to change': No regrets for Rod Ellingworth after leaving Ineos Grenadiers
New Tour of Britain race director says he is still on good terms with Dave Brailsford after resigning from team last year
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'I’m just here to enjoy it': Tom Pidcock on his surprise Paris-Roubaix appearance
British rider was a late addition to the Ineos Grenadiers team for the race across the pavé
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
The art of peaking with Geraint Thomas: 'It’s easy to take for granted that 9 times out of 10 I hit my goals'
The Welshman also calls for better governance in the sport to help it grow further
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers’ 500th victory was claimed by a woman; why do they still not have a team?
The British squad is one of the richest in cycling - but Ineos still won’t stump up for a women’s team
By Adam Becket Published
-
'This is so much more than a number': Six of the best Ineos Grenadiers wins as team claims 500th race victory
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot took the 500th team win at the weekend
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Tom Pidcock 'wouldn’t be surprised' to see attacks before the Poggio at Milan-San Remo
British rider will lead the line for Ineos Grenadiers alongside Filippo Ganna
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers delighted with Egan Bernal’s late cameo on stage one of Paris-Nice
Colombian snapped up key bonus seconds in the general classification battle on run in to Les Mureaux
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
‘It doesn’t change anything’ - Tom Pidcock’s coach on Tadej Pogačar at Strade Bianche
Kurt Bogaerts says the pressure is off for Pidcock as he looks to defend the title he emphatically won last year
By Tom Thewlis Published