Gerrans in a battle for Tour place

AUSTRALIAN veteran Simon Gerrans is not guaranteed a spot on Orica-Scott’s Tour de France team, with director Matt White yet to decide on his final nine riders for the three-week race.

White said only Simon Yates and Esteban Chaves were certain starters in Dusseldorf on July 1, with the rest of the team to be finalised after the Criterium du Dauphine and Tour de Suisse this month.

Gerrans, 37, and in the final year of his contract with the Australian WorldTour team, is racing the Dauphine alongside Chaves after having four topfive finishes in the recent Tour of Norway.

White said Tour de France selection was based on the form and condition of riders and what plan the team would have for the three weeks.

“We only got the full profiles of Tour de France stages five days ago, and so much can hinge on that in the medium mountain stages,” he said.

Asked about Gerrans’ spot in the team, White said it was “not locked in”.