QUICK STEP FLOORS

Nine-time stage winner Marcel

Kittel will be seeking to banish the memories of last July, when he won ‘only’ once in France. His form this year - seven wins by June - suggests he is ready to reclaim his status as top sprinter. Kittel aside, the team has the quality to win on all terrain: Philippe Gilbert for the hills, Dan Martin for a GC challenge to build on his ninth place last year. Gianluca Brambilla, Matteo Trentin and Zdenek tybar have taken seven Grand Tour stage wins between them over the years, and will be deployed in more ambitious breakaways for the transition stages. Quick-Step’s biggest weakness may be that it is good at everything – if Kittel wants a lead-out, and Martin support in the mountains, it may be stretched.

TOUR PALMARÈS

Dan Martin’s ninth overall last year was the irst time Quick-Step made the top 10 in its 15 years of doing the Tour. It’s been largely a stage-winning machine, averaging almost two a year, but surprisingly it has gained only one green jersey, by Tom Boonen in 2007.