Mark Cavendish's early exit from the Tour de France left a huge void in the sprint world but his main rivals, starting with Germans Marcel Kittel and Andre Greipel, were not necessarily relieved by his absence.

“For us, it's a different ball game before one of our most serious rivals is gone. But in the same time, there is one less team to help us control the race for a bunch sprint,” said Giant Shimano team director Christian Guiberteau.

In the yellow jersey after stage 1, Kittel lost the garment on the bumpy roads of Yorkshire on Sunday and felt frustration: “It's always hard to lose a leader's jersey and even though we were realistic, there is always a glimmer of hope,” Guiberteau said.

“Of course, he will want to take his revenge today. It's a stage that suits him ideally, but there will be 25 km in town and it's always tense,” Guiberteau added.

Last year, the bunch sprint battle was mainly between Germany and Britain, but the Giant Shimano team chief is hoping for France to be part of the game this time: “I know we have a French champion in great shape. And so I hope for Francaise des Jeux to join forces with us,” he said.

Arnaud Demare precisely knows the stage well since he won the Ride London Classic in August last year.

“But the finish was the other way round. We're going to ride 25 kms in the streets of London. It will be magic,” he said.

“My team-mates told me it was the toughest start to the Tour they ever knew so I guess I've handled it alright so far,” he added.

Another leading sprinter, Sacha Modolo (LAM) is sick and out of contention.