Simon Yates is out of the BikeExchange-Jayco team for the Tour de France, leaving Dylan Groenewegen and Michael Matthews to lead the team's stage win battle.

Yates won two stages in the Giro d'Italia, but his challenge for the overall classification was overshadowed when he injured his knee in a crash early in the opening week and abandoned the race in the third week.

The Briton was tentatively scheduled to run the Tour in search of stage wins, as he did successfully in 2019, but his participation was contingent on his recovery from the knee injury that ended his Giro prematurely.

Instead, Yates will likely compete in the Vuelta a España, which he won overall in 2018.

In Yates' absence, the BikeExchange-Jayco team will be built around the challenge for a stage win by Groenewegen and Matthews. Dutchman Groenewegen will be the heart of the team on the flat stages, while Matthews will be looking for his third stage win.

Chris Juul Jensen will start the Tour in his home country, while Nick Schultz, who made a splash at last year's Giro, will be making his debut in this race.The BikeExchange-Jayco team is Jack Bauer, Luke Durbridge, and Luca Medjeck, Amund Grondahl-Janssen.

"This is an experienced group that will be participating in an always beautiful but stressful block of racing," director Matt White said in a statement released by the team.

"The team is made up of members who are capable of winning stages and will be competitive on a variety of terrain over the three weeks. From day one in Copenhagen until we cross the finish line in Paris, this group will put their heart and soul into their daily plans and goals."

Groenewegen, who joined BikeExchange-Jayco from Jumbo Visma in the offseason, will return to the Tour for the first time since 2019. He has four stage wins at the race, including the Champs-Elysées in 2017.

The Dutchman prepared for the Tour by riding most of the mountainous Criterium du Dauphiné, as well as winning a stage at the Tour of Slovenia.

"I'm looking forward to coming back to the Tour de France. The last time I competed was in 2019 and it was a success for me, so it's great to be back this year," said Groenewegen, who will rely on Mezgec as his lead-out man.

"The second stage in Copenhagen is a stage to look forward to and hopefully the wind won't be too strong so we can sprint to the finish. The sprints at the Tour are always hectic, and the sprinters as well as the overall classification riders are always trying to stay on top. Having experienced riders around me in the finals is important throughout the entire Tour."