Adam Yates targets 2019 Tour de France podium

Englishman Adam Yates, described as one of the best climbers in the world, will target a top three spot on the 2019 Tour de France, his Mitchelton Scott team said Tuesday.

Team boss Matthew White confirmed that Adam would lead the team on the Tour whilst his twin brother Simon, who won the Vuelta a Espana last season, will target victory at the Giro d'Italia.

"Adam showed in 2016 that he can mix it with the big boys at the Tour de France," the Australian said of Yates' breakout performance winning the White jersey for best young rider that year.

"We are heading back this year with ambitions of Adam challenging for a spot on the podium come July," he said.

"Adam will have a great team supporting him and I really believe he is going to show what he is capable of."

"He is one of the best climbers in the world and helping him to put it all together for three weeks on the biggest stage is an exciting challenge," White said.

The 26-year-old rider said he was already mentally preparing for an assault on the mountainous 2019 Tour.

"I?m super excited to go back to the Tour this year," he said.

"Last year we made some mistakes that cost us and it was a big disappointment, so it'll be good to go back and rectify that," he said in reference to his costly stage 16 crash.

"Even though the Tour is a long way away at this moment in time... in the back of my mind everything I?m doing is build up for the Tour," Yates said.

White said the 2019 route would suit Adam over the three weeks.

"It is an interesting course with limited time trial kilometres and some very high passes, which have not been seen before in the Tour de France," he explained.

"Avoiding Western France makes that first week a little less tense. We are in the mountains quite early and with a team time trial day two we will certainly see the lay of the land quite early in proceedings."

© 2019 AFP