Etixx - Quick-Step has announced the selection that will participate in Amgen Tour of California, a 1,156km one-week race starting on Sunday, May 10th, and ending on Sunday, May 17th.

The first two stages, 204.3km Stage in Sacramento and 193.1km Stage 2, from Nevada City to Lodi, are favorable for the sprints. There is also more than 13,000 meters of climbing during the race, starting with the 168.9km 3rd Stage in San Jose.

Major climbs of the stage race include Balcom Canyon in Stage 5, Mount Hamilton in Stage 3, and a Stage 7 summit finale on Mt. Baldy (eight percent average gradient), which takes place on the penultimate day of the race. The most decisive stages are the 24.1km ITT at Big Bear Lake, the 128.7km queen stage with a finish on Mt. Baldy, and the final stage, a sprinter friendly 96.5km Stage 8 from L.A. Live to the Rose bowl in Pasadena.

Mark Cavendish will be at the start of the race after an outstanding performance at Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey last week. The British rider won three sprint stages, finished 2nd in the final stage, and won the Points Competition. The Manx Missile has nine victories so far this season and will look to continue his success with a strong Etixx - Quick-Step team around him.

Etixx-QuickStep for the Tour of California:

Julian Alaphilippe, Mark Cavendish, Mark Renshaw, Guillaume Van Keirsbulck, Yves Lampaert, Stijn Vandenbergh, Martin Velits and Matteo Trentin