A three-time junior world champion from across road and track disciplines, Megan Jastrab has arrived in Clermont-Ferrand to prepare for her freshman foray of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift as part of the Team dsm-firmenich squad.
She says she’s “privileged” and “excited” to be part of the women’s Tour de France, where she’ll work in a support role for the two team leaders, Juliette Labous in the GC and Charlotte Kool for sprint stage wins.
Jastrab is only 21-years-old but is already used to the world stage. She never aspired to make a career in road cycling while growing up in southern California.
“I used to roll my eyes every summer when my dad bought the TV subscription and had the Tour playing every day. I had no perception of the road side of cycling. I understood that it was a hard effort, but just ride your bikes for hours upon hours, why?” she told Cyclingnews, explaining that her father was an active road cyclist but she and her brother Ryan took part in BMX, dirt biking, skiing and other sports.
“Now it’s really cool that if I say I am a professional cyclist to someone in the US, and they ask if I ride the Tour de France, I’m able to say ‘yes, I do ride the Tour de France.” I think that’s really exciting.”
While Jastrab made light of her childhood days before converting completely to a one-sport focus in cycling, she is serious about her career.
She’s in her third full season with Team dsm-firmenich, with a contract carrying her through 2025.
It’s been a solid year on the road so far, finishing second at Gent-Wevelgem, fourth at Brugge-De Panne and making the podium on a stage at Valenciana stage race.
Jastrab says not to look for her in any breakaways at the Tour, and that if she is in a break it it is “to stop the breakaway”. Her role in France will be that of a “bodyguard” for the team leaders.
“Our team’s goals are for stage wins with Charlotte [Kool] in the sprints and then also for GC with Juliet [Labous]. My role will be more of a bodyguard for both of them,” Jastrab told Cyclingnews.
“So for sprint days I’ll be Charlotte’s bodyguard to make sure she’s protected and has everything she needs. And when it comes to the lead out, that will be my job and Pfeiffer [Georgi]. Of course everyone has a role in the team on each day to perform, bit I’ll be later in the lead outs, just making sure I’m there and then I’m putting her position for the sprint.
“Then on the other days,…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at CyclingNews RSS Feed…