Two in a row for Gaviria?
May 28 th 2018 - 14:16
It will soon be time to take stock of the season, but before then Paris-Tours is the final opportunity to shine on a prestigious classic. For some it will be the chance to give a fine finish to a season already crowned with success, whilst for others a victorious punch of the air will help them to forget the grimaces and missed opportunities they have experienced since the beginning of spring. Fernando Gaviria belongs to the first category, with a roll of honour in 2017 that already boasts 11 victories, including 4 stages on the Giro. The Colombian will no doubt remember that this prosperous period started in Tours one year ago, when he achieved his first major success ahead of the world’s elite sprinters, who were preparing for the world championships in Doha. The title holder will be the man to watch on the finishing straight, but his team, Quick Step, will be lining up a squad that could spring surprises, with another former winner, Matteo Trentin (in 2015), who has also won four grand tour stages this year, on the Vuelta, as well as Zdenek Stybar, 2nd on Paris-Roubaix last spring.
In addition, the Belgian team, the presence of the two biggest collectors of winners’ bouquets in the pack promises a pitched battle on Avenue de Grammont, even if Mark Cavendish (with 145 victories in his career) has only been victorious once this year and André Greipel has not been up to his usual standards (140 victories, including 4 in 2017). For example, the German sprinter completed Le Tour without a victory for the first time and will be making his first appearance on Paris-Tours since 2006. The craft of these two ‘senior’ sprinters could once again come up against the fervour of the emerging generation, which will not only be represented by Gaviria on the classic of the falling leaves. As the season has gone by, Dylan Groenewegen has triumphed on the roads of Dubai, Yorkshire, Norway, the Netherlands and especially on the avenue that is the envy of all sprinters, the Champs-Elysées, on the last stage of the Tour de France. On that day he beat Greipel (who finished 2nd), but also Nacer Bouhanni (4e), who is also seeking the chance to finish the year on a positive note. The sprinters’ appetites could however be quelled by riders capable of springing surprise attacks on the run-in to the finish. For example, such a show of strength could be within the capabilities of AG2R, who will be counting on Alexis Gougeard, Oliver Naesen and their newly crowned champion in the young riders’ category, Benoit Cosnefroy.
The main participants:
Belgium
Lotto-Soudal: Greipel (Ger), Debusschere, Maes (Bel)
Quick Step Floors: Gaviria (Col), Trentin (Ita), Stybar (Cz)
Wanty - Groupe Gobert: Offredo (Fra), Van Keirsbulck (Bel)
Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise: Van Hecke (Bel)
WB Veranclassic Aquality Protect: Ista (Bel), Spengler (Swi)
Veranda’s Willems-Crelan: Devolder (Bel)
France
AG2R La Mondiale: Gougeard, Cosnefroy (Fra), Naesen (Bel)
FDJ: Sarreau (Fra), Guarnieri (Ita), Konovalovas (Lit)
Fortuneo - Oscaro: Fonseca (Fra), McLay (GB)
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits: Bouhanni, Laporte, Soupe (Fra)
Direct Energie: Chavanel, Boudat, Petit (Fra)
HP Btp - Auber 93: R.Feillu (Fra)
Delko Marseille Provence KTM: Martinez (Fra), Smukulis (Lit)
Roubaix Lille Métropole: Antomarchi (Fra)
Armée de Terre: Gaudin, Rostollan (Fra)
Germany
Team Sunweb: Arndt (Ger), Sinkeldam (NL), Kragh Andersen (Den)
Ireland
Aqua Blue Sport: Blythe (GB), Nordhaug (Nor)
Netherlands
Team Lotto-NL Jumbo: Groenewegen (NL), Wynants (Bel)
Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij: Ligthart (NL)
South Africa
Team Dimension Data: Cavendish (GB), Eisel (Aut)
Switzerland
Team Katusha Alpecin: Zabel (Ger), Morkov (Den)
USA
BMC Racing Team: Küng, Drucker (Lux) Team Katusha Alpecin: Zabel (All), Morkov (Dan)