The Etixx-Quick Step team to line up at the Tour de France which starts on July 2 has been announced today and includes Irish rider Dan Martin.
It will mark the fourth time that Martin has taken part in the race, having made his debut in 2012. He also went on to race in the 2013 and 2015 editions. His best overall result was in the 2013 race where he finished in 33rd place and also took a stage win.
Martin looks to be heading into the race in great form having finished in third overall at the Critérium du Dauphiné recently. This season, he has also taken stage wins at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana and the Volta a Catalunya where he also finished third overall.
Etixx – Quick-Step CEO Patrick Lefevere has admitted though that the team is built around their German sprinter Marcel Kittel.
Kittel didn’t line up in last year’s Tour but in the two previous editions, he took four stage wins in each race. He has also shown great form this season, winning two stages at the Giro d’Italia in addition to Scheldeprijs and the Dubai Tour overall, amongst other wins.
Patrick Lefevere – “It wasn’t easy to choose nine riders for the Tour de France because many deserve a spot in the team, but together with the sport directors we selected the strongest collective we have at this moment, capable of achieving the goals we have outlined.”
“The team is built around Marcel, and that comes as no surprise, because when you have a guy capable of winning stages in Grand Tours, it’s normal to do this.”
“We also have Daniel Martin, another rider who was proved himself at the Tour de France in the past, and who we believe can do even better now, as he has the instinct and the form for this.”
“Tony will also be there, bringing his huge experience and knowledge; in the past weeks, he worked hard to be in top shape for this race and can make something great again, while at the same time being a valuable rider for the strategy we built around Kittel, together with Fabio, Max and Julien, all experienced riders who can support the team in the crucial moments.”
“We are bringing a French rider to the Tour for the first time in years, and everybody knows how talented Julian Alaphilippe is. He won the Tour of California and had a great Dauphiné, fighting hard to book a place in our team for Le Tour. Now the moment has come to give him the opportunity to discover the race and see how far he can go, without putting any pressure on him.”
“The other two riders to make their debut are Iljo and Petr, the engines of the team together with Julien Vermote, all being riders in which we put our trust to get the job done. Bottom line, we are ready for the Tour de France, we are ready for the three intense weeks that lie ahead and we are ready to fight every day and adapt to any kind of scenario, as we have already showed we can do in the past.”
wont be long now! What odds he’ll be in yellow for the first week
have a good one Dan