Wednesday 22 February 2017 10:51, UK
Adam and Simon Yates will sit out this year's Tour de France to concentrate on the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a Espana, their Orica-Scott team have announced.
Adam Yates was a revelation at last year's Tour, winning the best young rider's classification and narrowly missing out on a podium place.
This year, the Australian team plan to send their emerging Colombian star Esteban Chaves to France to carry their general classification hopes, while the 24-year-old Yates twins gear up to ride two Grand Tours in the same season for the first time in their careers.
"People on the outside might think it's a bit strange that we are not sending a lad that finished fourth last year back to the Tour de France," said Orica-Scott sport director Matt White.
"But it's simple, we want to give the guys a bigger foundation for the future because that's where their biggest potential lies."
Adam Yates, who made his Grand Tour debut in the 2014 Vuelta before competing in the last two Tours, said he was looking forward to a change in focus and a Giro debut.
"Two Grand Tours is something I have never done and it's a new challenge," he said.
"I have ridden the Tour [de France] now for the past couple of years and even my first year as a professional, I rode the Tour programme without doing the Tour, so I think a change is good and a new challenge is good...
"The 100th edition gives the Giro some big prestige this year. If we can get as close to the podium as possible, that is the aim. There is a lot of time trialling and a lot of big names but we are putting the work in, we are working hard and we will see how it goes."
Simon Yates missed last year's Tour as he served a four-month ban for a doping violation - something the team blamed on an administrative error as they failed to apply for a therapeutic use exemption for his asthma treatment.
However, he returned to ride the Vuelta where he finished an impressive sixth.
"From a purely physical standpoint, I think this year can really benefit me for the future," he said.
"It's a big load to do two Grand Tours, and ever since I have been a professional I have only done one Grand Tour per year. I really think it will help massively for the future as I progress as a rider."
