Etixx-QuickStep will head to the Critérium du Dauphiné without a true GC contender or a sprinter but will be on the hunt for a stage win or two.
The Ardennes leadership duo of Dan Martin and Julian Alaphilippe will lead the charge, with the Frenchman, coming into the race on the back of winning the Tour of California last month, where he took victory on the hors-catégorie summit finish at Gibraltar road.
Irishman Martin, a new signing from Cannondale-Garmin, has taken two stage wins this season – at Valencia and Catalunya – with aggressive attacks on finishing climbs.
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“We come here with a team focused more on stage wins, and less on the GC, with Julian and Dan being two of the ones who can notch a victory,” said directeur sportif Brian Holm.
“Still, if the right circumstances will be there, then Dan, who has a lot of experience, could leave his mark on the overall."
The pair could find fertile ground on road stages 2, 5, or 7. Stage 2 features a long but relatively gentle ascent to the finish, with a second-category climb followed by a short third-category and a steep kick towards the line.
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