Cycling: The squads of the Tour de France teams 2018 are fixed. 22 teams have nominated eight drivers each. According to our first part of the team presentation Let's now turn to those Tour de France teams that have a top sprinter have in their own ranks. Also present: the German team Bora-hansgrohe.
Quick-Step Floors: Gaviria and Alaphilippe guarantee stage wins
The Quick-Step Floors team is also the most successful in the WorldTour in 2018. Numerous classic, semi-classic and one-day races could be won. They were even the dominant team at the Giro d'Italia with five wins. Now they're sending a completely different squad to the Tour de France, led by top sprinters Fernando Gaviria and Flèche Wallonne winner Julian Alaphilippe. Both guarantee a successful tour as they are among the strongest drivers in the world in their field. With eight flat stages, Gaviria has the best chance of winning one or the other section. Alaphilippe is the Muur-de-Bretagne as well as the stage to Mende. And the rest of the Tour de France team is - of course - more than impressive. Maximiliano Richeze will lead the sprints while Niki Terpstra and Yves Lampaert will take care of the sprints. At the same time, on the ninth stage to Roubaix, they are among the favorites to win the day. Bob jungels is the man for the general classification. He is mainly assisted by Tim Declercq. And then there's Philippe Gilbert who, while not quite as strong as he was in the old days, is still a force to be reckoned with on hilly terrain.
Groupama-FDJ: Seven men for Arnaud Démare
The Groupama-FDJ team is not nearly as versatile as Quick-Step Floors. The French team is fully focused on the bunch sprints. With Arnaud Demare you have one of the fastest men in the world in your own ranks. Last year he won the section to Vittel where Mark Cavendish and Peter Sagan clashed. Démare could not get more due to Marcel Kittel's dominance. This may change in 2018 as there is unlikely to be a clear sprint dominator. Therefore, Démare is once again trusted, so that he gets seven helpers at his side. Jacopo Guarnieri is considered to be an excellent sprinter himself, but he will also serve his captain, as will Olivier Le Gac, Tobias Ludvigsson, Rudy Molard, Ramon Sinkeldam and Arthur Vichot. Only david gaudu will probably be spared a bit on the flat stages. They want to give him the chance to win a stage, especially on the hilly sections.
LottoNL-Jumbo: Stronger every year
Without a doubt, the LottoNL-Jumbo team is one of the most interesting Tour de France teams in 2018. The Dutch team has continuously improved over the past few years. While in the past one could be happy about a simple stage win, the ambitions have meanwhile gone up steeply. No wonder, because with Dylan Groenewegen you have one of the best sprinters in your own ranks. In addition, LottoNL-Jumbo is involved Steven Kruijswijk and Primois Roglic after the yellow jersey - and that doesn't mean your own yellow and black jersey. We can also observe the only 24-year-old Antwan Tolhoek, who recently presented himself well in the mountains. The German Paul Martens will also have helper duties, as will the experienced Robert Gesink. Amund Grondahl Jansen and Timo Roosen complete the strong squad. So in 2018 we will not only see LottoNL-Jumbo in the sprints, but also in the high mountains.
Katusha-Alpecin: High expectations, many question marks
In the Katusha-Alpecin team, not much comes together in 2018. Only four victories are recorded after more than six months. That is clearly not enough for a team with so many top drivers. Sure has also Marcel Kittel imagined his move a bit easier. The German team with him, driver Rick Zabel and Tony Martin only managed two wins so far. Last year Kittel won five stages for Quick-Step Floors in the Tour de France alone. Now he has to find his way out of what is perhaps the biggest low in his career and at least become competitive. After everything we've seen in the past few weeks, it doesn't look like it. Should Kittel not find his way back to his performance level on time, Katusha-Alpecin can also hope for the mountains. With Ilnur Zakarin you have an absolute podium candidate in your own ranks. The Russian was #5 at the Giro d'Italia and #3 at the Vuelta a Espana last season. Above all, he can look forward to the support of Robert Kiserlovski. Ian Boswell, Pavel Kochetkov and Nils Politt will assist both Zakarin and Kittel on the respective stages.
Dimension Data: Mark Cavendish wants #34
When Mark Cavendish When the Tour de France starts on July 7th, he not only drives against his opponents who ride next to him. The Brit has Eddy Merckx in mind. This stands for 34 stage wins in the Tour of France. Cavendish is currently at 30. With a total of eight flat stages on the program for 2018, Mark Cavendish could break Merckx's record. But the now 33-year-old has to improve a lot for that. He was only able to win one race this season, just like the year before. Unlikely that he will now dominate the sprint finishes at the Tour de France. Nevertheless, the Dimension Data team management puts everything on the British. In addition to his driver Mark Renshaw, he will be supported primarily by Robert Thomson, Julien Vermote and Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg. Serge Pauwels and Tom Jelte Slagter, on the other hand, are looking forward to the hilly stages, where they will certainly get a free pass. Once again, it should not be underestimated Edvald Boasson Hagen. The all-rounder is then used in the sprint when Mark Cavendish is no longer there.
Lotto Soudal: Far more than just a sprinter team
In recent years, Team Lotto Soudal has primarily excelled as a team for mass sprints. André Greipel has repaid the trust placed in him with numerous victories. However, the Belgian team has developed more and more into a team of all-rounders. There is no clear classification driver, but with Tiesj Benoot they have definitely nominated a talented young professional. We will probably see more than one escape group Thomas De Gendt. The breakaway king might even be eyeing the mountain jersey. In addition to him, Tomasz Marczynski and Jelle Vanender should also be considered as soon as the stages are no longer flat. Lotto Soudal will undoubtedly be one of the more active Tour de France teams in 2018. If it's flat, you drive for a mass sprint for André Greipel. If it becomes hilly or even mountainous, they will always send a man into the escape group. In addition to the candidates already mentioned, Jasper de Buyst, Jens Keukeleire and starter Marcel Sieberg could also be considered.
Bora-hansgrohe: Sagan and Majka know how it's done
The history of the Tour de France from years past cannot be told without the names Peter Sagan and Rafal Mayka to call. While the Slovak won the green jersey five times in a row, the Pole secured the mountain jersey twice. Of course, the two also got one or the other stage. This is exactly what the Bora-hansgrohe team is building on this year, after things didn't go so well last year. It is also possible that Rafal Majka will fully control the overall standings, where a place on the podium is possible but will be difficult after his recent performances. However, Majka will not be able to rely on support in the mountains because the team was not tailored to him. Maciej Bodnar, Marcus Burghardt, Gregor Mühlberger, Daniel Oss, Pawel Poljanski and Lukas Pöstlberger are not suitable for the high mountains, but can control a race on the flat and thus help Sagan to the sixth green jersey.
Cofidis: Christophe Laporte is preferred to Nacer Bouhanni
Nacer Bouhanni's career has hit a new low. The French sprinter has been dropped from the squad and will not be part of the Tour de France team. In 2016 he missed the Tour of France because he injured his hand in a fight a few days before the start. Now he was not nominated by his team, although he would have been fit and healthy. At Cofidis, the decision was made based on the performance shown Christophe Laporte. He has already been able to win six times this season and is probably considered stronger by the team management. Nevertheless, Cofidis seems to be aware that the eight flat stages do not have a great chance of winning. A real sprinter group has not been put aside for Laporte. With Dimitri Claeys there is actually only one real helper for him, while Anthony Turgis and Julien Simon will also help, but could also become captain themselves on somewhat more difficult stages. The line-up is completed by Nicolas Edet, Jesus Herrada, Daniel Navarro and Anthony Perez, who tend to be good climbers. So it's safe to assume that we'll see the red Cofidis jerseys in many escape groups.
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