Four-time champion Chris Froome has been left out of Israel-Premier Tech’s Tour de France team for the second year in a row.
The British rider, who has not won a race since 2018, finished 81st in the recent Criterium du Dauphine, an event traditionally used to measure form ahead of La Grande Boucle.
The 39-year-old has had a difficult opening to the season after breaking his wrist in the Tirreno-Adriatico in March and only returned to racing in May.
Welshman Stephen Williams has been part of the eight-man squad designed to chase stage wins after becoming the first British rider to win La Fleche Wallonne in 88 years earlier this season.
The British Jake Stewart and the Canadian Derek Gee, who impressed during the Dauphine, are also present.
Froome finished 133rd in the 2021 Tour and had to withdraw 17 stages for the 2022 edition with Covid, while finishing 26th overall.
He originally joined Israel-Premier Tech in 2021, aiming to return to full fitness after a 2019 crash that left him with a career-threatening injury.
However, he has struggled to regain the form that made him a multiple Grand Tour winner.
Israel-Premier Tech owner Sylvan Adams has previously said his signing has been “absolutely no” value for money for the UCI Pro team.
Froome, who has another year left on his contract with the Israeli team after this season, previously won seven Grand Tours in ten years with Team Sky: the Tour de France in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, the Giro d’Italia in 2018 and the Tour of Spain in 2011 and 2017.
