With the first stage of the Tour de France, rolling out from Mont Saint-Michel, barely a day away, we continue our assessment of each team’s hopes for the world’s greatest cycling race.
Etixx
Etixx Quickstep has a three-pronged attack for success at this year’s Tour de France, from by far the best-rounded team in this year’s race.
After having a horror year last year, Marcel Kittel is among the favourites for early stage wins, and to conquer the Champs Elysees on the final day. A green jersey is not out of the question for the German if he can amass stage wins, but it is unlikely with world champion Peter Sagan in the field.
Kittel is back to his best, having taken nine wins this year, including two at the Giro d’Italia in front of main rival Andre Griepel.
His lead-out train is solid, with Julien Vermote and Petr Vakoc the early pace-setters, while Iljo Keisse, Fabio Sabatini and the in-form Ariel Maximilano Richeze (who took out the points classification at the Tour de Suisse, and managed a stage win) providing the pace in the final few kilometers. It may not be as good as the awe-inspiring Lotto-Soudal squad, but it is impressive.
Tony Martin is the second part of the puzzle, with his time-trialing ability being tested on Stage 13’s lumpy, 37.5-kilometre test. The climbs shouldn’t be too hard for him, however they make chances of victory a little more difficult as the general classification riders come into their own.
The most interesting part of this Etixx team is its two climbers, the experienced Daniel Martin and super talented Frenchmen Julian Alaphillipe, who are both coming off a successful last two months.
Having finished third at the Criterium du Dauphine, Martin will be a marked man on the early mountain stages, but could be allowed a little bit of wiggle room from the main favourites and take a stage win.
Stage 7 is reminiscent of the parcours in 2013 when Martin took his one and only win at a Grand Tour. A difficult settle of climbs on Stage 9 in 2013 was preceded by a long descent into the finish, in which both Martin and Jakob Fuglsang (Astana) took advantage, with Martin taking the win 20 seconds in front of the peloton. Stage 7 and 8 of this year’s race are similar, with major climbs in the final 20 kilometres followed by descents into the finish.
Alaphillipe finished sixth at the Criterium du Dauphine and won the young rider’s jersey, the latter feat being achievable at the Tour. He also took the overall at the Tour of California in the middle of May. One major problem for the young Frenchmen is that this is his first Grand Tour.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyhPIo5NdW4
Full squad: Julian Alaphillipe, Tony Martin, Marcel Kittel, Daniel Martin, Julien Vermote, Petr Vakoc, Fabio Sabatini, Ariel Maximilano Richeze and Iljo Keisse.
Objectives
At least three stage wins and tilt at the green jersey for Kittel, a solid performance for Martin in the time trial, Martin taking a top five spot on GC, and a go at the young rider’s jersey for Alaphillipe.
FDJ
Another French team and another genuine homegrown talent with a chance at overall honors.
Thibaut Pinot has had a solid season, but failed to shine at the Dauphine, finishing outside the GC top 15. Previous to that performance was a second place behind Chris Froome at the Tour of Romandie, and a top five at both the Tour of the Basque Country and Tirreno-Adriatico.
The major plus point for Pinot is his time trialing ability, which has come on in leaps and bounds over the past two years, as evidneced by him taking the French national time trial title last weekend.
Just one problem remains: his descending, which will surely be tested on three critical occasions, the first two mountains stages (7 and 8), and the penultimate stage to Morzine.
Pinot finished on the podium here in 2014. Such a weakness will hamper his ability to replicate such an achievement this time around.
He will be supported on the climbs by Sebastian Reichenbach and Steve Morabito.
Also, watch out for French national champion Arthur Vichot on the lumpy stages.
Full squad: Thibaut Pinot, Cedric Pineau, William Bonnet, Matthieu Ladagnous, Anthony Roux, Jeremy Roux, Steve Morabito, Sebastien Reichenbach and Arthur Vichot.
Objectives
Top five for Pinot on GC is the main goal, with a stage win being well received.
IAM Cycling
With the team most likely disbanding at the end of the season due to the lack of a major sponsor, the riders of IAM Cycling must deliver to ensure they stay in the WorldTour next season.
Some of their riders have already done this, with Roger Kluge taking Stage 17 of the Giro only days after the ‘no sponsorship’ announcement. Two other riders who have done so are Colombian climber Jarlinson Pantano and Belgium puncheur Dries Devenyns.
Pantano won the final stage of the Tour de Suisse a little over a week ago, which pushed him up to fourth place on GC, ahead of the likes of Tejay Van Gardaren. The 27-year-old, alongside teammate Matthias Frank, could try for a top ten result overall here, however stage victories and the King of the Mountains jersey might be more achievable.
The experienced Dries Devenyns has had a great season, taking a stage and the overall at the Baloise Belgium Tour in late May, while also taking the GP de Marseille on his first race day of the season. The 32-year-old is not getting any younger, and with a good performance at this year’s Tour could set up the final years of his career among the world’s best teams.
On the flipside, IAM bring a very talented young sprinter in Sondre Holst Enger, who has achieved some great results to date. Having finished fifth on GC at the Tour de Fjords back in 2014, he has added a stage win in the 2015 Tour of Austria. However, 2016 has been his breakout year.
So far this year he has taken a stage win at the Tour of Croatia, while finishing second on general classification at the sprinters’ race, the Tour of Picardie, behind Nacer Bouhanni. He then took part in the Tour of Norway, where he won the points classification ahead of the dangerous Edvald Boasson Hagen.
Jerome Coppel will target a solid performance in the first time trial on Stage 13, while also looking for the breaks on the climbing stages.
Full squad: Matthias Frank, Jerome Coppel, Oliver Naesen, Stef Clement, Dries Devenyns, Martin Elmiger, Reto Hollenstein, Sondre Holst Enger and Jarlinson Pantano.
Objectives
Solid performances in the mountains from either Frank or Pantano, while attempting to position Enger for the sprints. This is more about individual’s aspirations, rather than a team objective, due to the disbanding of the team at the end of the season.
Lampre Merida
After a successful Giro d’Italia, where Diego Ulissi contributed well with two stage wins, Lampre will want to win a stage at this year’s Tour, something they have only done once since Alessandro Petacchi took two stages in the 2010 edition. Ruben Plaza took the Stage 16 into Gap last year, however he is now at Orica-GreenEDGE.
However, they do have a decent chance of improving their Tour record, as they have two solid options in the hills and high mountains.
2013 World Champion Rui Costa would be the favourite to take a stage, having already done so once in 2011 and then twice in 2013, all on stages which require an ability to climb.
The three-time Tour de Suisse champion has had a reasonable season thus far, finishing seventh in this year’s edition of the race, while also finishing inside the top ten at the Tour of Romandie, the Tour of the Basque Country, and Paris-Nice. He will not be riding GC at the Tour though, with stages his objective.
After finishing tenth at last year’s Vuelta a Espana, Louis Meintjes will be a strong contender for the young riders jersey classification. A solid ninth place at the Dauphine showed Meintjes is on form heading to the Tour, and it will be exciting if he can replicate his Vuelta result of last year.
Davide Cimolai is the team’s designated sprinter, and watch out for Kristijan Durasek in the breakaway on lumpy stages.
Full squad: Yukiya Arashiro, Matteo Bono, Davide Cimolai, Rui Costa, Kristijan Durasek, Tsagbu Grmay, Louis Meintjes, Luka Pibernik and Jan Polanc.
Objectives
A stage win from Costa, and the young riders jersey for Meintjes would be a great Tour for the team. Meintjes though will have strong opposition.
Lotto Soudal
Unlike Etixx, Lotto Soudal really only have one aim at this year’s Tour, and it revolves around their German fast man Andre Griepel.
An incredible line-up has come to support him, with a lead-out train including Jens Debusschere, Greg Henderson, Jurgen Roelandts, Tony Gallopin and Marcel Sieberg. We should expect Griepel inside the top three at the very least on every sprint stage.
To go along with the lead-out train, you also have Lars Bak, Thomas de Gendt and Adam Hansen working on the front, containing the breaks and helping with the pace-setting in the final ten kilometres. It is a fabulous line-up.
Ten-time Tour stage winner Griepel has eight wins so far this year, including three at the Giro. However, a win at the German national championships over the weekend against Marcel Kittel is a great confidence booster going into the race.
While the team is heavily centered around Griepel, let’s not discount Hansen, De Gendt and Gallopin getting themselves in a few of the breaks on the lumpy stages, looking for stage wins.
Hansen will start his 15th consecutive Grand Tour, looking for another stage win, after taking success at both the Vuelta and the Giro in the past. No such success at the Tour to date, but that won’t stop him from trying.
Full squad: Lars Ytting Bak, Thomas de Gendt, Jens Debusschere, Tony Gallopin, Andre Griepel, Adam Hansen, Greg Henderson, Jurgen Roelandts and Marcel Sieberg.
Objectives
Three stage wins for Griepel and breakaway attempts from De Gendt, Gallopin and Hansen.
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