Team Giant-Alpecin ready for Paris-Tours

This Sunday October 9th, Team Giant-Alpecin will participate in the 110th edition of the French one-day race Paris-Tours

Former winner John Degenkolb will skip this year's Paris-Tours and instead Giant-Alpecin will be led by sprinters Max Walscheid and Zico Waeytens.

Labelled ‘The Sprinters Classic’, the 252.5km route has recently favoured the breakaways. The weather usually plays a crucial role as does the narrow routes and sharp climbs that encourage attacks in the finale.

"We have a balanced team with several options for this race," explained Coach Arthur van Dongen. "The aim is to ride an aggressive race and to be proactive at the front as echelons might be happening on the narrow roads. The organisation has chosen a flatter parcours this year, therefore the chances for a bunch sprint increase and it will be important to work well as a team. If this scenario unfolds we have an experienced team to set up a sprint for our fast guys."

Avenue de Grammont

Spectators can look forward to one hell of a battle along Avenue de Grammont.

Normally, the perspective of Paris-Tours gives rise to talk of which race scenarios will lead to the crowning of one of the last big winners of the season. This year, however, it is very unlikely that the winner's bouquet will not end up in the hands of a sprinter. Indeed, many of the speedsters' teams will be in attendance to test their explosiveness.

The proximity of the World Championships in Doha will add extra spice to the race, bearing in mind that the psychological blow of a victory weighs heavily in the battle between the fast men.

Team Giant-Alpecin Line-Up for Paris-Tours

Warren Barguil (FRA)
Roy Curvers (NED)
Bert De Backer (BEL)
Sam Oomen (NED)
Tom Stamsnijder (NED)
Albert Timmer (NED)
Zico Waeytens (BEL)
Max Walscheid (GER)

Photo: Team Giant-Alpecin ready for Paris-Tours © CorVos / Team Giant-Alpecin

Team Giant-Alpecin ready for Paris-Tours. Photo: © CorVos / Team Giant-Alpecin