Laurence Pithie leads teammates at altitude training ahead of his debut in the Tour de France. Photo: Red Bull Content Pool / Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe / Oriol Castello
Christchurch professional cyclist Laurence Pithie will become the 19th New Zealander to contest the famed Tour de France when racing begins next week.
Pithie is the only New Zealand rider in the 112th edition of the iconic annual sporting contest, which begins in Lille, in northern France on Monday and finishes 3339kms over 21 stages later, on the Champs-Elysees in Paris.
He rides for the Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe team, with his role to support the team's big hope, Slovenian Primoz Roglic, a four-time Grand Tour champion who has yet to conquer the Tour de France.
After initially turning professional as a teenager with Groupama-FDJ based in France, when Pithie moved to his current team they saw his potential as a Tour de France rider.
"It comes down to form and how you are going but the plan was to be ready and fit for the Tour. I did altitude training camps and I am in good form. To get the call-up was pretty awesome," Pithie said.
"It's my first Tour de France and sure it is a little bit daunting but I am super-excited."
Pithie comes off a strong performance in the key lead-up race of the Criterium du Dauphiné, and has this week completed a tough altitude camp at 2400m in Andorra, where he lives.
"The Dauphine has definitely given me confidence. I went in with good form although not knowing how I would stack up. But I got better as the race went on and it was a big confidence-boost for me.
"The TDF is a different race and a lot longer. I need to take the opportunity with both hands. My favourite part of the sport is racing, so now all the hard work I have put in over the last month especially will be put on show."
Slovenian Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates celebrates as he beats Slovenian Primoz Roglic Photo: DAVID STOCKMAN
Pithie's role is to support Roglic who has stage wins on the Tour but not the overall honours which have been dominated by Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) and Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma) over the past five years.
"He (Roglic) is super-strong and has great experience in Grand Tours so I will be racing every day to protect him and give him the best possible chance of going for the yellow jersey," said Pithie.
Pithie, who turns 23 years midway through the Tour, will have his father on the sidelines to cheer him on.
"It will be great to have Dad there. I have also had messages from people back at home who are coming here to watch. So I am looking forward to some support from the kiwi contingent over here and the people back home."
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