If given the chance, Grace Brown will open the door early in the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift yellow jersey. The Australian's priority is to support FDJ-SUEZ-Futuroscope leader Cecilie Uttrup-Ludwig in the overall title fight. Still, she could leave her mark in the early stages and become the next Australian to wear the leader's jersey at the Tour since Rohan Dennis.

"If I can win the yellow jersey in the early stages, I'll be happy with that. I'm not going to shy away from winning the yellow jersey in the early stages of the race because the day you wear the yellow jersey is special.

"Especially if I did get the yellow jersey, I wouldn't have much stress defending that position because I'm not the GC rider of the team. I can enjoy the rest of the Tour de France without feeling any pressure."

In her first season racing for FDJ-SUEZ-Futuroscope, Brown was recruited on the strength of her spring classics and stage races. For example, she recently finished second overall in the women's tour. She told Cycling News that she will take her chances on the climb to Epernay on stage 3 and the gravel road to Val sur Aube on stage 4.

"Our priority is the overall, Cecily is our lead rider and we have Marta, who we expect to be very strong in the mountains. However, some of the stages early in the race may give us a more liberal chance to get the stage result without risking our GC position. It would be great if we could do both, but if I had to choose between the two, it would be GC," Brown said. [The last two stages will decide the GC, but I think the third and fourth stages will decide the GC. The third stage is super hard and steep. Stage 4 with gravel will also be a difficult day. There is a long mountain stage later in the race, so these two stages won't be the deciding stages, but we could lose GC on these two hard stages in the middle of the Tour."

The French team has been steadily growing in recent years, signing Danish champion Uttrup Ludwig in 2020 and Marta Cavalli in 2021, with a specific goal of success at the Tour de France Femme. Uttrup Ludwig is the complete team leader, while Cavalli has finished second overall in the Amstel Gold Race, Flèche Wallonne, and Giro Donnée.

The two mountain stages will take place on stages 7 and 8 in the Vosges Mountains, culminating on July 31 at the top of La Super Planche des Belles Fils. Brown, who has raced with Uttrup Ludwig and Cavalli this season, believes the two will complement each other and provide a formidable challenge to race winner Annemiek van Hulten (Movistar).

"There are great similarities in our strengths as climbers. There are also great differences in personality. Cecily is very individualistic and Marta is a little quieter, but we bring them together well on the team," Brown said.

"Every time we race together we learn how to complement each other's strengths. Having two strong climbers on the final stage will work to our mutual advantage. Anne-Mike is one of our main contenders and if we can put two competitors against her, it will put a lot of pressure on her."

Brown, who will also represent Australia in the Tour de France, said that several of her compatriots in the race will also be competing for a chance to compete. Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon-SRAM), Amanda Spratt, Ruby Roseman-Gannon, Alexandra Manley (Bike Exchange-Jayco), Rachel Neylan (Cofidis), Anya Lu (AG Insurance-NXTG), Australian Champion Nicole Frayne (Parkhotel Valkenburg) are also among the Australian riders to watch.

"We are representing Australia as well as the trade teams. We want to do well in this first historic race. None of the Australian athletes will be aiming for GC, but that doesn't mean that none of them can't have a strong run. We will be able to make Australia proud," Brown said.

FDJ-Suez-Futuroscope, along with other French teams Cofidis, Arkéa Pro Cycling, Stade Rochelais Charente-Maritime, and St Michel - Auber93, are the most popular local lineup.

"We are ready for this race. The team has made it clear that this race is their number one goal for the year. We have a lot of resources and a staff with extra work to do. Personally, I don't feel that the team is putting extra pressure on the riders. We are just trusted to do our best and do what we have done as a prelude to all the other races we have targeted. They trust us. We have no fear of not performing. As long as we get there and do our best in races that we know are high on our priority list."

The Tour de France Femme is a new addition to the Women's World Tour this year, but it is already one of the most prestigious races on the calendar. Brown said she has high hopes for the event and is eager to experience racing for the yellow jersey.

"I am excited to experience what racing in the Tour de France is like. The Tour de France is a huge event and we are all looking forward to the turnout, the publicity and the atmosphere of the Tour. I look forward to competing with a strong team with big ambitions.

"I'm eager to do my best level in training to get results in the early stages, but I love the role of domestique and giving my all for my teammates. I'm excited about this journey and fighting every day."