Tom Scully set to ride second Tour de France

Southland’s Tom Scully will ride the Tour de France for a second time this month.

Scully, 29, became the first Southlander to be involved in cycling’s most heralded race when he turned out for his EF Education First Pro Cycling team at least year’s Grand Boucle.

The 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medallist has ridden all three of the sport’s Grand Tours - Spain, Italy and France.

“The group has been coming together really well,” Scully told the team’s website.

“Our build-up as been low on stress and high on motivation. Within the team, we’re all satisfied and happy with how we’re progressing on the bike, and that attitude has created a real relaxed and light-hearted environment.”

Scully is a finalist in the ILT Senior Sportsperson of the Year category at next Friday’s (July 12) ILT Southland Sports Awards at the Ascot Park Hotel.

The 2019 Tour de France gets underway in Belgium this weekend. The EF team includes eight riders from eight countries and Scully will again provide excellent service to his team’s leaders.

“Our specific ambitions we will leave to ourselves. As giving it away wouldn’t be any fun,” says team CEO Jonathan Vaughters. “And we’re all about having a bit of fun.”