Jayco AlUla 2026 Tour de France team guide: Australian core led by O'Connor, Matthews and Plapp

2025 Tour de France: 

• 2025 Tour stage wins: 1
• 2025 Best GC finish: 11th - Ben O'Connor

2026 Objectives:

Jayco AlUla heads to the Tour de France with a strong Australian core, with Ben O'Connor, Michael Matthews and Luke Plapp leading the team's ambitions. Rather than targeting the general classification, the team is expected to hunt stage victories across a variety of terrain.

Pascal Ackermann will spearhead the sprint challenge, while current Swiss champion Mauro Schmid is another of the team's leading stage-winning hopes after narrowly missing out from a breakaway last year.

“We have a very strong, well-rounded team for this year’s Tour de France. We have Pascal [Ackermann] there for the sprints and then a lot of rouleurs looking for stage opportunities, whether that’s in the medium or high mountains," said sports director Mat Hayman.

"There’s a strong Australian theme with Ben [O'Connor]returning off a stage win last. Michael Matthews has fought back from injury to be ready to take on the Tour, which has been really impressive. Then we have [Luke] Plapp, who’s won a stage in the Giro and would love to add one in the Tour de France," added Hayman.

🇦🇺 Ben O'Connor (30): The former fourth-place finisher is one of a number of riders doubling up with the Giro and Tour. In Italy, O'Connor held a top ten position until he faded on stage 19, ending in 16th overall. Last year's Tour saw O'Connor pivot from a GC bid to stage hunting with great success, claiming stage 18 atop the Col de la Loze.

🇨🇭 Mauro Schmid (26): The Swiss rider impressed on his Tour debut last year, coming within a bike throw of victory before Jonas Abrahamsen edged him in Toulouse on stage 11. Schmid arrives in strong form after victories in Italy and Oman, as well as finishing second at Flèche Wallonne. 

🇦🇺 Kelland O’Brien (28): One of two Tour debutants in the team is Olympic gold medalist O'Brien. The 28-year-old Australian has raced the Vuelta twice previously, finishing seventh in the individual time trial in the 2025 edition. O'Brien will be a key asset in the team time trial and as a part of the sprint leadout train.

🇩🇪 Felix Engelhardt (25): The second debutant in the team is the 25-year-old German, Engelhardt. The German started the Giro in May but was forced to abandon the race in the opening week due to illness. Engelhardt featured in two breakaways at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, offering a glimpse of what we can expect from the German in July, along with his fast finish from reduced group sprints.

🇦🇺 Michael Matthews (35): With four stage wins and a points classification to his name, Michael Matthews is among the most accomplished Tour riders on the start list. His preparations were disrupted by a serious training crash in March that left him with fractures in both wrists, but outings at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Tour de Suisse have helped rebuild his form. Even at 35, his consistency and versatility make him a genuine stage-winning threat.

🇦🇺 Luke Plapp (25): The Australian all-rounder made his Tour debut last year and finished in the top ten of both time trials, having won a stage at the Giro solo a few months earlier.  This year, Plapp has displayed his good GC form by finishing third at the UAE Tour and Tour de Hongrie, and fifth at the Tour de Romandie. 

🇩🇪 Pascal Ackermann (32): The experienced German will be expected to lead the line for the Australian team in the pure sprint stages. A five-time Grand Tour stage winner in the past, Ackermann has all the know-how, but has come just short in his two Tour appearances in 2024 and 2025, collecting a string of third and fourth-place finishes. 

🇦🇺 Luke Durbridge (35): The road captain will make his 12th and final Tour appearance before retiring at the end of the season. Durbridge's experience, leadership and engine will be invaluable throughout the three weeks, particularly in the opening team time trial.