Tudor Pro Cycling Lines Up for Its First Tour de France

July is just around the corner, and for the first time in Tudor Pro Cycling’s history, the Team will spend it in France - competing in one of the most prestigious sporting events in the world: La Grande Boucle.

30.06.2025

The Team was officially granted a wildcard entry in late March, but preparations had already begun months earlier, in late 2024, when Tudor Pro Cycling formally expressed its ambition to take part in the race.

As with every Grand Tour, eight riders will take the start line, united around one clear goal: winning a stage. To reach this milestone, the sports management has selected a strong and well-balanced squad, blending seasoned veterans with promising debutants.

Leading the Team is French national star Julian Alaphilippe, a six-time Tour stage winner and former yellow jersey holder. Coming off a strong performance at the Tour de Suisse, Julian will target the hilly stages where his explosive style can shine.

He’ll share leadership with Marc Hirschi, stage winner in 2020, who returns to the Tour with renewed ambition and fresh with a 2nd place at Swiss National Championship. The pair is particularly excited about the first ten days of racing, which feature several hilly profiles suited to their strengths.

In the sprints, Alberto Dainese will be the leader. Backed by a powerful lead-out train, the Italian is aiming to claim a Tour de France stage and complete the rare feat of winning at all three Grand Tours.

Veteran Matteo Trentin will serve as road captain. With seven Tours de France and three stage wins (2013, 2014, and 2019) under his belt, the Italian Classics specialist brings invaluable experience and leadership across the three-week race.

Marco Haller, meanwhile, will celebrate a personal milestone - his 10th Tour de France start, ten years after his debut as Austrian Champion.

For the mountain stages, Michael Storer will lead the charge. After two consecutive Top 10 finishes at the Giro d’Italia, the Australian shifts focus to stage wins in France, targeting key breakaway opportunities.

To balance this wealth of experience, Tudor will debut two Tour rookies: Fabian Lienhard and Marius Mayrhofer. Lienhard, the Swiss domestique, has already raced the Giro and Vuelta and is eager for his first French Grand Tour. Mayrhofer, the youngest rider on the team’s line up, will also make his Tour debut.

Behind the wheel, the Team will be guided by a trio of experienced Sports Directors: Matteo Tosatto, Bart Leysen, and Sylvain Blanquefort.

• Matteo Tosatto starts his third Tour as a director (and 15th overall, including his rider career), highlighted by a stage win in 2006 and finishing the race at age 42.

• Bart Leysen brings even more experience, with 3 participations as a rider and 16 as a director - making 2025 his 20th Tour.

• Sylvain Blanquefort will make his Tour de France debut, marking a major personal milestone. Having joined Swiss Racing Academy in 2020, he now steps into the sport’s biggest race alongside the Team he helped build from the ground up.

In addition to the 8 riders and 3 sports directors, a full support crew stands ready to make history - not just for Tudor Pro Cycling, but also for themselves:

• Management

• 1 Coach

• 4 Communications Officers & 1 photographer

• 2 Marketing & Hospitality Staff

• 2 Doctors

• 2 Chefs

• 1 Nutritionist

• 7 Soigneurs

• 1 Bus Driver

• 4 Mechanics

• 2 Assistants

Tudor Pro Cycling’s first Tour de France will be a collective adventure - and a new chapter in the Team's remarkable story.