In the final part of our preview series, we tear into some of the dark horses of the pro peloton for the 2016 Tour de France.
Lotto NL-Jumbo
A 23-year-old Wilco Kelderman finished in seventh place at the Giro d’Italia in only his second Grand Tour. Two years later, and after a poor Tour de France last year, he will want to show the same promise as he did in 2014.
Kelderman comes into the race after finishing in eighth place at the Tour De Suisse. He led the race at the end of Stage 6, however, a poor stage in the mountains on Stage 7, where he lost over two minutes to eventual stage winner Tejay Van Gardaren.
His only another notable performances were 10th at the Volta a Catalunya and fourth at the Ruta del Sol in February.
He will only have the support of New Zealander George Bennett in the mountains, however, he has a strong group of flatland domestiques to protect him throughout the first week.
A name that every keen viewer needs to look out is young Dutch sprinter Dylan Groenwegen, who last weekend took the win at the Dutch national championships. The 23-year-old has had a breakout season, taking seven wins this year and a further four podiums making him one of the in-form sprinters in the peloton.
Before his win at the national championships, he took a stage and the points classification at the Ster ZLM Tour, where he was up against a faltering Marcel Kittel.
Another rider on the team that did well at the Ster ZLM Tour was Sep Vanmarcke, who was second behind his teammate Groenwegen in the points classification, however, won the race overall. The classics specialist has had a reasonable season, finishing fourth at Roubaix, while finishing on the podium at the Tour of Flanders and Gent Wevelgem.
He will look to attack on the flat stages, hoping that the sprinters teams allow the break to stay away.
Full squad: Robert Wagner, Bert-Jan Lindeman, Dylan Groenwegen, Sep Vanmarcke, Wilco Kelderman, Maarten Wynants, Timo Roosen, George Bennett and Paul Martens
Objectives
A top ten in general classification for Kelderman and a stage win from anyone on the team.
Cofidis
The French outfit were planning on having controversial sprinter Nacer Bouhanni on the start line for the Tour this year, however, he decided to get himself in a scuffle at the team hotel at the French national championships, injuring himself.
It is unfortunate for Cofidis, a team with really nobody else who can genuinely challenge consistenly for stage wins.
Three climbers though on their squad will be active in the breaks, with two Spaniards Luis Angel Mate and Daniel Navarro racing, with Frenchmen Nicholas Edet and Arnold Jeannesson, formely of FDJ making his first appearance for the squad.
Edet comes off the back of a third place finish at the difficult Route De Sud, while Navarro finished in 11th place at the Criterium du Dauphine. Jeannesson finished in 11th at Paris Nice.
A squad that could do well in the breakaways, but there will most likely be stronger riders in the breaks than themselves. It will be difficult for them to get a stage win this year, however, they will most certainly be one of the most active teams.
Full squad: Nicholas Edet, Borut Bozic, Jerome Cousin, Christophe Laporte, Cyril Lemoine, Arnold Jeannesson, Luis Angel Mate, Daniel Navarro and Geoffery Soupe.
Objectives
Get themselves in the break to show off the sponsors, while trying to snag a stage win from the break.
Fortuneo – Vital Concept
The old Bretagne-Seche team got a new name for this year, so have fun trying to remember them. I sure had a ‘what the hell’ moment looking at the startlist for the first time.
Anyway, they bring two chances for success in my opinion, with climbers Eduardo Sepulveda and the experienced ‘bobbing head’ Dane, Chris Anker Sorensen.
Sepulveda was disqualified last year on Stage 14 after hitching a ride in another team’s team car. Yes, you read that correctly. For more context, this news article should sum up the event.
Sepulveda has got a fair bit of talent, having taken second at this year’s brutal Tour of San Luis and an 11th at the Tour of Oman, however, very early season form counts for nothing if you can’t produce when it counts. With no other performances to date this year, one wonders if this young rider can challenge for the white jersey.
Up until this year, Chris Anker Sorensen had ridden the ten years under the same organisation, irrespective of the amount of changes in title sponsors it has had (CSC, Saxo-Bank, Saxo-Tinkoff and finally Tinkoff-Saxo). It has been a rather bare last few seasons in terms of results, however, his role in the team was more a domestique role.
At Fortuneo, he gets the opportunity to ride for himself. It has been a disappointing season with once again, no results to really rave about.
Also watch out for one time stage winner Brice Feillu. Although he has no results over the past few years, he will still endeavour to add to that sole stage win in 2009 on the roads of Andorra, a country which does host a few stages in the Pyrenees.
In terms of a sprinter, young Brit Daniel Mclay gets the opportunity. If he can finish the way he did at the GP de Denanin, then he might be able to become the next Mark Cavendish.
Full squad: Eduardo Sepulveda, Chris Anker Sorensen, Florian Vachon, Anthony Delaplace, Vegard Breen, Pierre-Luc Perichon, Daniel McLay, Brice Feillu and Armindo Fonesca.
Objectives
Breakways and television time will be the aim of the Tour for this outfit. Top five results would be a decent return, but don’t expect anything more of this wildcard outfit.
Direct Energie
Bryan Coquard will win a stage at this year’s Tour. Quite a bold prediction, but one I think could most certainly happen, especially after the season he has had so far this year.
11 stage wins so far this year have shown that Coquard has the ability to be up the front when he needs to be. However, the competition he is up against at the Tour is far greater than any he’s faced so far this year.
Sprinting against Nacer Bouhanni in five stages at the four Jours of Dunkerque, he took three stage wins and the points classification, however, against both Cavendish and Sagan at the Tour of California in May, his best finish was only fourth.
Along with his pure sprinting, Coquard has worked on his climbing legs, finish fourth at the Amstel Gold Race, which will give him a chance on the uphill finishes of Stage 3 and 4, and potentially Stage 2 if he is able to hold onto the field over the climbs.
The young Frenchmen had two podium finishes on stages at the Tour last year, including second on the final stage in Paris. After a superb season to date, he will be looking to better that this year.
Two breakaway specialists in the experienced form of both Sylvain Chavanel and Thomas Voeckler will give the team some opportunites for success in the lumpier stages.
Full squad: Bryan Coquard, Sylvain Chavanel, Antoine Duchesne, Yohann Gene, Fabrice Jeandesboz, Adrien Petit, Romain Sicard, Angelo Tulik and Thomas Voeckler.
Objectives
Stage wins from anyone on the squad.
Bora-Argon 18
Bora have had some brilliant news over the last week, announcing a new title sponsor in Hansgrohe for the start of the 2017 season.
The bring a squad capable of mixing it in both the sprints and on the stages suited for breakaways to stay away.
After being overlooked by the team last year, Sam Bennett rides his first Tour de France. The Irishman has taken only one win this season, at the only sprint stage at the Criterium International in mid-March.
His most recent result was finishing third in the points classification at the recent Criterium Du Dauphine, including a podium finish on Stage 1. Having been overlooked last year, he will be wanting to make an impact on this year’s race, where a top five place on sprint stages would be a good return.
Bora also bring several riders capable of getting in the break on the lumpy and mountain stages.
Two young riders that stand out in this squad are Patrick Konrad and Emanuel Buchmann.
Last year, Buchmann came to our attention after the winning the German road race at the national championships. This year he has continued his progression well, racing alongside Patrick Konrad at the Giro Del Trentino to finish in eighth place, while finishing in 12th place at the difficult early season test of the Tour of Oman.
His best performance so far of the season in my opinion though was finishing in 20th place at the Criterium Du Dauphine rececently, showing that he has the ability to climb fairly well at only 23 years of age. Watch out for him in the breaks in this year’s race.
Austrian Patrick Konrad on the other hand has also had a solid season, finishing in fifth place on general classification at the difficult Giro Del Trentino, which was won by Mikel Landa. He also put in a very credible finish of 15th at Liege only a couple of days after.
Jan Barta and Paul Voss will also try their hand from the break.
Full squad: Emmanuel Buchmann, Share Archbold, Jan Bartam Cesare Benedetti, Sam Bennettm Bartosz Huzarski, Patrick Konrad, Andreas Schillinger and Paul Voss.
Objectives
Exposure from being in the breaks.
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