Quick-Step Floors will head to Germany for the start of the 104th edition of the Tour de France with a strong and experienced team supporting Dan Martin, Philippe Gilbert and Marcel Kittel.
Last year, Martin came close to a stage victory at what was his best Tour de France outing, which saw the attack-orientated Irishman make his way into the top 10 overall for the first time in his career.
The 30-year-old, who finished the Critérium du Dauphiné earlier this month in third position overall for the second consecutive year, after a remarkable final stage which showed his amazing fighting spirit, will have another crack at the general classification, hoping to improve on last year’s result.
Italian Gianluca Brambilla will back Dan Martin in the mountains, but at the same time keep an eye on any opportunity which could arise and see him join the select group of active riders who’ve won stages in all three Grand Tours.
Ronde van Vlaanderen and Amstel Gold Race champion Philippe Gilbert, a stage winner and former yellow jersey wearer at the Grande Boucle, will return to the race for the first time in four years, and the experienced Belgian, who’ll celebrate his 35th birthday during the first week, is sure to give the team a valuable card to play in the hilly stages.
German sprinter Marcel Kittel will be again the team’s designated sprinter, as he’ll try to become only the third active rider with at least ten Tour de France stage triumphs.
The 29-year-old will be supported by a powerful lead-out train comprising New Zealand National ITT Champion Jack Bauer, Fabio Sabatini, Czech Road Race Champion Zdenek Stybar (himself a Tour de France stage victor, two years ago, in Lyon), double stage winner Matteo Trentin and Julien Vermote.
Quick Step Floors team for the Tour de France:
Jack Bauer (NZL)
Gianluca Brambilla (ITA)
Philippe Gilbert (BEL)
Marcel Kittel (GER)
Daniel Martin (IRL)
Fabio Sabatini (ITA)
Zdenek Stybar (CZE)
Matteo Trentin (ITA)
Julien Vermote (BEL)
