LE TOUR BECKONS FOR JACK HAIG AND RICHIE PORTE AHEAD OF TOKYO

Only 29 days remain until they will contest Olympic Games road race in Japan for the Australian Olympic Team, and Jack Haig (Bahrain Victorious) and Richie Porte (Ineos Grenadiers) will spend 22 of them in France for the 2021 Le Tour de France starting today!

Haig and Porte will join eight other Australians in the three-week-long race, which begins in Brest and includes 21 stages, more than 3414km of racing and 50,000 metres of climbing.

In May, Haig received his first Olympic Games team selection, named in a four-rider team featuring Porte, who reached the podium at the 2020 Tour, former Tour yellow jersey holder Rohan Dennis, and Tour team time trial stage winner Cameron Meyer.

Less than one week will separate the final stage of the Tour de France on the Champs Elysse on July 18 and the Tokyo Olympic men's road race on July 24.

It is bound to be an epic battle for Olympic glory around Mt Fuji, with the 234 km course featuring an elevation gain of 4865 metres set to challenge the world's best. The Time Trial will see riders take on two laps of the 22.1km course beginning at the Fuji International Speedway.

"To be selected for the Olympic team for Australia's massive honour, to be honest, I'm really, really excited for it. And so far in my career, it's the most exciting race that I have had to look forward to," said Haig.

"And to go there with such a strong team as well and be nominated with such high talent, and the team is something quite special.

"And I think within the race, we have some really good opportunities myself and Richie to do really well and try and take our opportunities when we take when we can."

Before they are teammates in Tokyo, Haig and Porte will be rivals in France when Haig leads Bahrain Victorious in his Tour debut with his new WorldTour outfit, his second start in the Tour de France and sixth career Grand Tour appearance.

The Victorian has enjoyed a great 2021 season with several top ten placings, including at the Tour de la Provence, Paris-Nice and the Criterium du Dauphine.

"It (the Tour de France) is kind of the first opportunity I've had to have a bit of freedom to try and see what I can do," Haig said.

"As a leader. I'm really coming into the race with a bit of confidence after doing quite well in the Criterium du Dauphine, and I've had some really nice time at home preparing."
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"I hope we can have a successful Tour de France, and then there's a short travel and quick turn around until we race the Olympics."

In all, 10 Aussies will be on the start line in Brest with Haig and Porte joined by Ben O'Connor (AG2R Citroen), Lucas Hamilton (Team BikeExchange), Michael Matthews (Team BikeExchange), Luke Durbridge (Team BikeExchange), Miles Scotson (Groupama-FDJ), Simon Clarke (Qhubeka Assos), Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal) and Harry Sweeny (Lotto Soudal).