Alpecin-Deceuninck
At time of writing it isn’t certain that star rider Mathieu van der Poel will be in Alpecin’s Tour team. If he decides to ride XC mountain bike at the Paris Olympics he won’t, and if he doesn’t, he will. Regardless, he’s had mixed fortunes at the French race and was thoroughly off-colour and overworked last July, a race in which sprinter Jasper Philipsen won four stages, the green jersey and the status as the world’s fastest rider. Van der Poel operates as the most luxurious lead-out man ever for Philipsen, so his absence will be keenly felt if he’s not there.
Dream Tour
Another hatful of stage wins for Philipsen and a second green jersey to boot
Arkea-B&B Hotels
Arkea-B&B Hotels recruited Arnaud Démare in a mid-season switch from Groupama-FDJ, as the combustible Frenchman fell out with his old boss. It will be looking to him for its first-ever stage win, even if it’s been six years since the second of his two wins here (2018 was also the last time he finished the race). Perhaps the more likely to break its duck is sprinter Luca Mozzato, who took a brilliant second at the Tour of Flanders in March. He had a couple of top 10s at last year’s Tour and will return strengthened by that Flanders podium.
Dream Tour
If a stage win is too much to ask, the likes of Mozzato to impact the race
Astana Qazaqstan Team
, at one its lowest ebbs in its near-20-year history and fighting for
