Cavendish to lead Etixx-QuickStep at the Tour de France

Etixx-QuickStep has announced the nine-man squad that will participate in the 102nd edition of Le Tour de France.

Etixx-QuickStep for the Tour de France (Sirotti) Source: Sirotti

Team manager Rolf Aldag said that the team is a balanced one that will pay particular attention to the stages held during the first week of the Tour.

"Of course for a team like ours, until the 9th Stage at the TTT, every day will be a challenge," Aldag said.

"Starting in the beginning in Utrecth with the ITT, and continuing the day after with a stage that, on paper, looks to be conditioned by crosswinds along the sea. It's no secret we have a team that is built for these kinds of efforts. So we are looking forward to this stage.

"Then we move into Belgium. As a team based there, it is a key moment of Le Tour to show ourselves in front of our home public. We also have the day of the Mur de Huy finale, where we can play with several options. Then the day after, Stage 4 with the cobbles, it is another stage that suits our team perfectly, even if riding on a Classic parcours during the Tour de France is not exactly like riding the spring races.

"Of course, in cycling anything can happen during these stages, but we know we are as prepared as any team in the peloton to do well on the cobbled sectors."

While the team has a depth of talent to do damage on most Tour days , Mark Cavendish will again be the go-to rider for stage wins in the sprints where will be looking to add to to his tally of 25 victories.

"Our goal is to perform well in this first part of the race. We want to go into the first rest day happy with our overall performance. It will be important to perform, find results, and then good confidence for the second part of the race starting with the 10th stage," Aldag said.

Etixx-QuickStep for the Tour de France

Mark Cavendish (GBR), Michal Golas (POL), Michal Kwiatkowski (POL), Tony Martin (GER), Mark Renshaw (AUS), Zdenek Stybar (CZE), Matteo Trentin (ITA), Rigoberto Uran (COL), and Julien Vermote (BEL).