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Sam Bennett, the Irish sprinter, will not be returning to the Tour de France this year, as his team, Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, has announced its line-up for the race without including him. Bennett, who rode the Giro d’Italia earlier this season but has not raced since its conclusion a month ago, was not selected for the Tour despite the possibility of a Giro-Tour double being a rare but feasible option for riders.
The team has opted for a squad focused on an aggressive, attack-oriented strategy, particularly in the hilly stages, rather than prioritizing a general classification (GC) contender. Even Felix Gall, who could have been a GC leader, is instead focusing on stage wins, mirroring his approach from the 2023 Tour, where he secured a victory on the queen stage in Courchevel.
Sébastien Joly, the team’s sport strategy director, emphasized the offensive approach, stating the goal was to seek a stage victory. The team plans to rely on its punchers in the first week and climbers in the Pyrenees and Alps. Unlike last year, when the team raced defensively, this year’s strategy aims for Felix Gall to achieve a high GC position through breakaways rather than a conservative approach. Joly expressed confidence in Gall’s climbing abilities and his determination to replicate his 2023 success.
The full Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Tour de France team includes Bruno Armirail, Sam Bennett’s absence from the Tour line-up comes as a disappointment, even though his Giro selection had already suggested he might not participate in the French Grand Tour. Bennett was selected for the Tour last year, his first season with the team, but was forced to abandon during stage 17 due to stomach issues, which plagued him throughout the summer. His best finish in the 2023 Tour was fourth place in Nîmes, one day before his withdrawal.
Bennett’s last successful Tour de France campaign was in 2020, where he won two stages, including the prestigious final stage on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, and claimed the green jersey as the points classification winner. His victory in the green jersey marked a significant achievement, as he dethroned Peter Sagan, who had dominated the classification for much of his career. However, injuries and a struggle to regain top form sidelined Bennett from the Tour in subsequent years, including during his return to Bora-hansgrohe in 2022 and 2023.
While Bennett’s exclusion from the 2024 Tour de France is a setback, the team’s strategy reflects a shift toward an attacking style of racing, with a focus on stage wins and climbers like Felix Gall. This approach contrasts with last year’s more defensive tactics and highlights the team’s confidence in Gall’s ability to perform in breakaway situations. For Bennett, the focus now shifts to regaining form and preparing for future opportunities to return to the Tour de France, where he has proven he can compete at the highest level.