Chris Froome in Israel Premier Tech Tour squad as team aim for stage wins

Britain's Chris Froome will contest this year's Tour de France, but his Israel Premier Tech team say they are aiming only for stage wins.

The four-time Tour champion joined the team in 2021 aiming to get back to full fitness following a 2019 crash in which he sustained multiple injuries.

But the 37-year-old has struggled to regain the form he had at Team Sky.

"I've worked exceptionally hard this year and I'm looking forward to giving it my all," said Froome.

The team, co-owned by Canadian-Israeli billionaire Sylvan Adams, also have Canada's Michael Woods and Denmark's Jacob Fuglsang as contenders for victory in some of the hilly stages. as well as Daryl Impey as a sprinter on the flat.

"We've got a great group of riders in the line-up and we can't wait for the battle to begin in Copenhagen", added Froome, who competes in his 10th edition of the Tour, which begins on 1 July.

The last two Tours de France have been won by Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar of UAE-Team Emirates, who is widely expected to triumph again.

Froome was routinely dropped by the peloton during races in 2021 following his transfer from Team Ineos (formerly Team Sky), where he won the Tour in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017.

But his form has improved this year as he continues his rehabilitation from injuries, including fractures to the neck, legs, ribs and back after crashing before the 2019 Criterium du Dauphine - a warm-up race for the Tour.

After missing out on competing in the 2020 Tour with Ineos, Froome signed a multi-year deal with the Israel Premier Tech team.

Froome's best result in a World Tour race since his injury is 47th at last year's Dauphine, and he hung on to the pace of the peloton for longer during this year's race before fading.

Full team line-up: Jakob Fuglsang (Den), Michael Woods (Can), Chris Froome (GB), Daryl Impey (SA), Simon Clarke (Aus), Hugo Houle (Can), Krists Neilands (Lat), Omer Goldstein (Isr).