Chris Froome misses Israel - Premier Tech Tour de France selection, Gee and Williams to lead

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Chris Froome misses Israel - Premier Tech Tour de France selection, Gee and Williams to lead

Tour de France winner Chris Froome has missed the selection for Israel Premiattech's eight-man roster, for the second year running.

The British rider had a tough opening to the season after fracturing the scaphoid bone at the Tirreno Adriatico and returned to the race in late May only for the Mercantur classic Alp Maritime.

Then he rode the Critérium du Dauphiné, but admitted that "it will be difficult to make a team" because of the lack of race days. With only one year left on his contract, the 2025 edition could be the 39-year-old's last chance to get on the tour again.

Fresh Wallonne winner and British compatriot Stephen Williams is one of the headline riders going on tour on behalf of the Israeli Premier Tech, and the team's choice is designed around chasing stage victories.

After the Canadian had the best performance of his career at the Dauphine and won his first World Tour stage win, Derek Gee was joined by Primo Logric (Bora Hansgrohe) and Matteo Jorgenson (Visma Rees-Bike) for 3rd overall.

Gee is chasing stage victories throughout three weeks and looking to follow in the footsteps of fellow Canadians Hugo Houle and Michael Woods who have netted stage victories for Israel Premiattech on tour in the past two seasons.

"I'm incredibly excited to be in line for the first tour," Gee said in a team press release. "Racing the Tour de France was really a childhood dream and I can't wait to experience the atmosphere of the biggest race in the world.

He and Williams will debut on tour after the 2024 season is a success, and joining them are Houle, Jakob Fuglsang, Jake Stewart, Pascal Ackermann, Guillaume Boivin and Krists Neilands.

It is understood that Froome will likely focus on Vuelta a Espana, which won 2011 and 2017 2 times.

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