Matthews set for Tour de France with Sunweb

As expected, Australia's Michael Matthews is on the list to represent Team Sunweb at the 2017 Tour de France.

Michael Matthews will hope to add to his career Tour de France tally of wins. Source: Getty

Matthews has won twice this year, at the Tour of the Basque Country and recent Tour de Suisse and will be one of the several riders hoping to get the better of perennial Green Jersey, Pater Sagan (BORA-hansgrohe).

As a German-registered team, the 2017 Tour has special meaning for Sunweb with the Grand Depart scheduled for Dusseldorf on 1 January and broadcast live on SBS.

Sunweb will again head to the Tour de France with a nine-rider line-up focussed on stage hunting. Matthews, along with lead-out man Nikias Arndt, are both confirmed, with the next seven riders confirmed closer to the race start.

The duo worked together to deliver a Stage 3 victory at the Tour de Suisse and will again focus on the sprint stages and those with a punchy finish.

"This year our goal is to go for stage results and this long-list will offer plenty of talent and opportunities to select a powerful line-up, Sunweb's Hendrik Werner said.

"A line-up not only to support Michael optimally on the sprint stages with a strong lead-out, but also one to create opportunities from breakaways that potentially make it to the finish, as well as the intermediate stages.

"We have spent time training at altitude together, along with the rest of the team, building further on a strong foundation from the first racing block of the season to prepare for a tough three-week-journey in France."

Sunweb long list for the 2017 Tour de France

Søren Kragh Andersen (DEN), Nikias Arndt (GER), Warren Barguil (FRA), Phil Bauhaus (GER), Roy Curvers (NED), Johannes Fröhlinger (GER), Simon Geschke (GER), Michael Matthews (AUS), Ramon Sinkeldam (NED), Tom Stamsnijder (NED), Laurens ten Dam (NED), Mike Teunissen (NED), Albert Timmer (NED).