AG Insurance-NXTG, a 23-and-under team, has announced its lineup for the upcoming Tour de France Femmes-Avec Zwift, where it will be looking for a stage win, a breakaway and a combativeness prize.

The team will consist of six nationalities: Allie Wollaston, Julia Borgström, Anya Lu, Ilsei Pluimers, Gaia Massetti, and Lorne Meertens. Maud Reinbæk has been selected as a reserve.

"Our main goal is to appeal to ourselves and our sponsors, and we will do that by going for the Combat Award, but we will also aim to win a stage," said sport director Jorian Dole of the team's ambitions. 'In doing so, we will also win the white jersey. As one of the youngest teams, our goal is to be in contention for the white jersey."

The team has never competed in the Giro d'Italia Donnay, so competing in the Tour de France Femme is a big step in their development program, but Doullé stressed that the team will compete to be competitive.

"Most of our athletes have never participated in a stage race of this difficulty and lasting eight days. But part of sportsmanship is having ambition and daring to pursue it."

"We are all very proud of our team.

Lacking pure climbers, the team has several options to compete in a fast finish, with the flat first half of the race primarily a breakaway and sprint. However, the team has named Borgström as GC leader, and it is not impossible for the Swedish all-rounder to wear the white jersey.

"Julia is one of the most experienced riders on the team. 'She is an all-rounder in climbing races. She can play a role in every stage and can be our lead rider in the GC."

Wollaston, from New Zealand, is probably their best sprinter, having already won stages in the GP Morbihan and Lotto Belgium Tour this season.

21-year-old Australian rider Louw has made the Tour lineup despite only signing with the team in early July. The team's oldest rider is 24-year-old Meertens, who has ridden the Giro in 2021 with Lotto Soudal.

The team is currently in France recreating stages 2, 3, and 4 of the race.

"Everyone is in great shape and the atmosphere within the team is really great. The riders are relaxed and really looking forward to the start of the Tour de France."

The Tour de France Femmes will be the biggest race yet for the ambitious development team, backed by AG Insurance and the men's Quick-Step AlphaVini team, which is aiming to enter the World Tour in 2023.

"Four months ago we didn't think we would be in the Tour de France (Femme)," said Quick-Step boss Patrick Lefebvre.

"The goal is of course to keep growing this team and we will have our first meeting on July 18 to see if we can become a WorldTour team next year."