'Riders capable of competing on every stage' – Jayco AlUla line up with stage hunters at Tour de France in special MAAP kit
Michael Matthews, Luke Plapp and Ben O'Connor all part of team
Jayco AlUla will line up at the 2026 Tour de France with a team hunting for stage victories across all 21 days.
The Australian squad, the fourth to announce their lineup for the Tour, will feature Michael Matthews, Ben O'Connor and Luke Plapp, all Grand Tour stage winners.
O'Connor won on the Col de la Loze at last year's Tour, and will be looking to bounced back from a Giro d'Italia which looked promising, but ended in 16th overall. Plapp won a stage of the Giro last year from a breakaway, which he will be seeking to do again. Matthews, meanwhile, is back racing for the first time after he broke both of his wrists in a training crash.
They will be joined by Kell O'Brien, Felix Englehardt, Pascal Ackermann, Luke Durbridge and Mauro Schmid. Ackermann is there for bunch sprints, with five Grand Tour stage wins before, while Mauro Schmid will also be looking for success on the lumpier days, after a season which has seen him take four victories.
"If you’d told me three months ago that I would be lining up for the Tour de France, I don’t think I would have believed you," Matthews, a four-time stage winner and former green jersey victor, said. "I’ve worked really hard to get back in time for the Tour, together with the team and I’m really looking forward being back.
"After missing last year with my illness and then with my crash earlier this year, it’s given me even more motivation and hunger. The Tour is the biggest race of the year and even though this will be my 9th time racing it, making the squad is always a big deal."
"We have a very strong, well-rounded team for this Tour de France," sports director Mat Hayman said. "We have Pascal there for the sprints and then a lot of rouleurs looking for stage opportunities, whether that's in the medium or high mountains.
"It’s pretty exciting to have a couple of riders who are starting their first Tour de France with Kell and Felix, it's a massive step for them in their careers. Then on the other side you have Luke Durbridge who will be returning for his 12th Tour, a real stalwart of the team and someone we can always rely on.
"There’s a strong Australian theme with Ben returning off a stage win last year. Michael Matthews has fought back from injury to be ready to take on the Tour, which has been really impressive. Then we have Plapp, who's won a stage in the Giro and would love to add one in the Tour de France.
"Rounding out the team we have Mauro Schmid, it’s yet to be seen whether he will be back in his Swiss champions colours or maybe he’s flying under the radar this year!"
The team will be taking to the roads of France in a special switch-out kit, with more 'electric' green highlights added to the purple jerseys. The kit was debuted at Paris Fashion Week.
"No leader's jersey clash to avoid, no UCI mandate, just a desire to drop something unexpected on cycling's biggest stage," MAAP said.
