Cycling: The 103rd edition of the Tour of France begins next Saturday. Now the nine registered riders from all 22 Tour de France teams have been announced. High time for the Tour de France team check. We take a closer look at all teams in three parts. It starts with the stage hunters. These teams have to flee as they have neither a top sprinter nor the best climbers or class riders.
Bora-Argon 18 (Germany)
We start directly with one of two German Tour de France teams. For the third year in a row, Bora-Argon 18 has been given a wild card. This is anything but a matter of course as the other three wildcard teams all fly the French flag. But since Bora-Argon 18 has presented itself very well in recent years, the tour organization wanted the German team to be there again. The former professional cyclist and current team manager Ralph Denk proclaimed the goal of a stage win. There are a few candidates for that. Last year's German champion Emanuel Buchmann and Bartosz Huzarski deserve special attention in the mountains. But even on flat sections you want to have a say. Jan Barta is a well-known breakaway and Paul Voss could also be expected to succeed. Bora-Argon 18 can then play the Irish trump card for mass sprints: Sam Bennett was able to celebrate a stage win at the Critérium International this year. Surprisingly, Dominik Nerz, who would have made a top 20 placement possible, was not nominated. How long the Bora-Argon 18 team can still be counted among the stage hunters remains uncertain - at least until Thursday. Then the new co-sponsor will be presented and there will also be a new bike manufacturer. With these financial injections, they want to move up to the World Tour in 2017. Then the team no longer needs a wildcard.
The squad:
Shane Archbold, Jan Barta, Cesare Benedetti, Sam Bennett, Emanuel Buchmann, Bartosz Huzarski, Patrick Konrad, Andreas Schillinger, Paul Voss
Fortuneo-Vital Concept (France)
The Rennes-based cycling team Fortuneo-Vital Concept is the successor team to Bretagne-Séché Environnement and has already gained Tour de France experience. This year too, the focus will be on breakaway attempts, because there isn't a driver in the team who could win straight out of the field in a mass sprint or in the high mountains. Brice Feillu won a Tour de France stage seven years ago, when he was still active for the Agritubel team. He will try it in the mountains just like Chris Anker Sörensen, who is back after several years away. His face, scarred by the agony, can almost certainly be admired again in the mountains. Florian Vachon, on the other hand, doesn't show his qualities in the mountains, but in hilly terrain. The Frenchman is considered a typical escape and is therefore a candidate for a breakaway on the transition stages. Unfortunately, mountaineer Pierrick Fédrigo, hill specialist Jonathan Hivert and sprinter Jauhen Hutarovich will not be there. Nevertheless, Fortuneo-Vital Concept will be one of the Tour de France teams, which will be represented in almost every breakaway group.
The squad:
Vegard Breen, Anthony Delaplace, Brice Feillu, Armindo Fonseca, Daniel McLay, Pierre-Luc Perichon, Eduardo Sepulveda, Chris Anker Sorensen, Florian Vachon
IAM Cycling (Switzerland)
Swiss team IAM Cycling will focus on stage wins while trying to get captain Mathias Frank back in the top 10 overall. The Swiss achieved this last year with eighth place, but since he was unable to confirm this strong performance before or after, such a result is unlikely to happen again. That's why hopes rest on Jarlinson Pantano, who presented himself in top form at the Tour de Suisse, won the ninth stage and finished fourth overall. Stef Clement and Martin Elmiger will try their luck in the rather hilly or even flat terrain, while Jerome Coppel, a top time trialist, will also be in the squad. One can be excited about the first Tour de France of young talent Sondre Holst Enger. The 22-year-old Norwegian is considered a sprint talent and finished second in the Tour de Picardie this year. Even if the competition at the Tour de France is still a size too big for him, he can perhaps cause a surprise from a group.
The squad:
Stef Clement, Jerome Coppel, Dries Devenyns, Martin Elmiger, Mathias Frank, Reto Hollenstein, Sondre Holst Enger, Oliver Naesen, Jarlinson Pantano Gomez
Orica GreenEDGE (Australia)
The Australian team Orica GreenEDGE has always been a team consisting of stage hunters. Although Adam Yates now offers the chance to triumph in the junior classification, stage wins remain the main focus. With Michael Matthews, the Australians can also have a say in mass sprints, even if he simply lacks the top speed compared to the competition. It gets interesting when it gets too hilly for pure sprinters and Kitte, Bouhanni, Greipel, Cavendish and co. were taken down. Then Michael Matthews is a complicated opponent for Messrs. Degenkolb and Sagan. Otherwise, the team will focus entirely on escape attempts. With Michael Albasini, Simon Gerrans and Daryl Impey, there are also corresponding drivers in the ranks of Orica GreenEDGE. Their toughness on hills coupled with their ability to sprint always makes them dangerous candidates in certain group constellations. Mathew Hayman will also be at the start. The surprise winner of Paris-Roubaix is considered a real locomotive.
The squad:
Michael Albasini, Luke Durbridge, Simon Gerrans, Mathew Hayman, Daryl Impey, Christopher Juul Jensen, Michael Matthews, Ruben Plaza Molina, Adam Yates
Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (USA)
Cannondale is one of two US-American Tour de France teams this year. Previously known for overall victories in tours with Vincenzo Nibali or Ivan Basso, the team will also be chasing stages at this year's Tour de France. There is no sprinter among the nine nominated drivers, nor is there a man who perfectly combines the skills of time trial and mountaineering. The star of the team, especially here in France, is Pierre Rolland. According to his own statements, he would like to win a stage and also ride on the overall classification. However, the main focus will be on possible stage wins. With Sebastian Langeveld, Ramunas Navardauskas and Matti Breschel you have at least three really tough guys in the team. Tom Jelte Slagter and Lawson Craddock, on the other hand, can ensure success from a breakaway on hilly transfer stages.
The squad:
Matti Breschel, Lawson Craddock, Alex Howes, Kristjan Koren, Sebastian Langeveld, Ramunas Navardauskas, Pierre Rolland, Tom Jelte Slagter, Dylan Van Baarle
Lampre Merida (Italy)
Hard to believe, but of the 22 registered Tour de France teams this year only one comes from cycling country Italy. Lampre-Merida enters the 2016 Tour de France without any real stars, with the exception of Rui Costa. The philosophy of the team has changed significantly in recent years. The successful times with drivers like Damiano Cunego, Gilberto Simoni, Alessandro Ballan or Alessandro Petacchi seem to be over for the time being. Now they compete in the Tour de France without Diego Ulissi, Przemysław Niemiec and Sacha Modolo. No wonder they can only seek salvation on the offensive. With Davide Cimolai you have a decent sprinter in the team, but he will hardly get past the top 5 in a flat sprint. Otherwise everything will focus on Rui Costa and Louis Meintjes. Costa would like to finally ride at the top of the Tour de France, while Louis Meintjes dreams of the white jersey of the best young rider. The rest of the team will be given their freedom and will try their luck, especially on hilly stages.
The squad:
Yukiya Arashiro, Matteo Bono, Davide Cimolai, Kristijan Durasek, Rui Costa, Tsgabu Gebremaryam Grmay, Louis Meintjes, Luka Pibernik, and Jan Polanc
Lotto NL-Jumbo (Netherlands)
The Lotto NL-Jumbo team is doing without a few top-class players this year. Among other things, the classification drivers Robert Gesink and Steven Kruijswijk will be omitted. On closer inspection, however, this seems logical. Robert Gesink was injured in the Tour de Suisse and Steven Kruijswijk has the Giro d'Italia in his legs. There he actually stumbled off the podium, although he already looked like the sure winner. Nobody in the nine-man squad has a chance of getting on the tour podium this year. Wilco Kelderman would certainly be most likely to place well in the overall classification. At the Tour de Suisse he wore the leader's jersey and ended up eighth overall. The rest of the team consists mostly of all-rounders, including Germans Paul Martens and Robert Wagner. Dylan Groenewegen is the place to be. The 23-year-old Dutchman is considered a great sprint talent and has already won the Rund um Köln this year and became Dutch Champion last week. He could become the revelation of the year and tease some Tour de France teams with top sprinters over the next three weeks.
The squad:
George Bennett, Dylan Groenewegen, Wilco Kelderman, Bertjan Lindemann, Paul Martens, Timo Roosen, Sep Vanmarcke, Robert Wagner, Maarten Wynants
Tour de France Teams – The big preview of Velomotion
Tour de France teams #1: The stage chasers
Tour de France Teams #2: The sprinter teams
Tour de France teams #3: Focus on the general classification