Tour de France selection: Davide Piganzoli replaces Wout van Aert in the Tour

Team Visma | Lease a Bike is giving Davide Piganzoli the chance to make his Tour de France debut. The 23-year-old Italian is stepping in for the injured Wout van Aert and will support Jonas Vingegaard in his bid for the yellow jersey. The selection came just a few weeks after Piganzoli finished eighth in the Giro d’Italia, where he impressed as a key support rider for Vingegaard.

"Marc rang me a few days ago, and it was really something special," Piganzoli explained. "I have to say, my response was: 'What? I’m going to the Tour?' And yes, it’s incredible." The call from sporting director Marc Reef came as a surprise to the young climber, as it had initially been unclear who would replace Van Aert.

Strong performance in the Giro secures Tour de France selection

Piganzoli’s nomination is based on his performance in the Giro d’Italia in May. The Italian finished the race in eighth place overall and worked at the front of the peloton for Vingegaard during several mountain stages. “He really made a difference in several mountain stages,” said Reef. “The fact that he is now making his Tour debut says a lot about his development.”

The decision to select Piganzoli for the Tour de France was made following Van Aert’s withdrawal, as his recovery from an elbow injury would not have been in time for the Tour. “It’s obviously a bitter blow that Wout can’t ride, and it’s also difficult to replace a rider like Wout,” Reef went on to explain. “In recent years, he has made a huge difference in many situations during the Grand Tours we’ve won.”

Reinforcements for the mountain stages

With Piganzoli, the team is looking to strengthen its climbing contingent. Alongside the Italian, the squad includes two further mountain specialists: Sepp Kuss and Matteo Jorgenson. “I’m really proud of what we achieved at the Giro,” said Piganzoli of his performance. “Coming home and reflecting on what I achieved at the Giro and how I performed during the race is something very special. So it’s an extra source of motivation.”

The route of the 113th Tour de France runs through the Pyrenees over the Tourmalet and ends in the Alps with two climbs to Alpe d’Huez. “This final double stage will undoubtedly be decisive in the battle for the yellow jersey,” predicts Reef, according to Team Visma | Lease a Bike. Piganzoli is set to provide Vingegaard with particular support on these key stages.

Second Tour debut with the team

Alongside Piganzoli, Per Strand Hagenes is also making his Tour de France debut. The 22-year-old Norwegian will be the first rider to move directly from the Development Team into the Tour squad. “It’s absolutely incredible and a great honour,” said Hagenes on his selection. “I’m very grateful for this opportunity. It feels like a reward for the last five years.”

The line-up is completed by Victor Campenaerts, Bruno Armirail and Edoardo Affini. “Alongside these two, Victor, Bruno, Edo, Sepp and Matteo give us a very versatile team to support Jonas in the battle for the general classification,” said Reef. “Not only are we prepared for the toughest climbs, but we have also carefully selected strong riders who can position Jonas during the flat stages.”

​The Tour de France gets underway on 4 July in Barcelona with a 19-kilometre team time trial. And there’s one more thing the new Team Visma manager is certain of: “The team time trial is an important event right from the start. It says a lot about the strength of the team; not just the riders, but the entire organisation.” Whether the Dutch team’s strategy of selecting young riders will pay off is likely only to become clear during the Tour itself.