After a less successful outing in Omloop Het Houtland Lichtervelde, Marcel Kittel will try to make amends in the Tour de l'Europmetropole which starts on Thursday. Traditionally dominated by sprinters, the race offers the German a perfect chance to take a rare overall stage race victory.

Team Giant-Shimano heads to the four-day Tour de l'Eurométropole, also known as Circuit Franco Belge, with Marcel Kittel at the helm.

Kittel will be supported by a strong line-up well drilled in helping to set up the sprints, and it is the perfect blend for this Belgian race well suited to the fast men.

Last season John Degenkolb took two stages and finished second overall here and the team will be looking for similar stage successes again this year.

"With Marcel here we have one of the fastest sprinters in the world and on these types of stages that suit sprint finishes we will be focused on riding for this outcome," confirmed Marc Reef.

"The racing also depends on the weather here though, and this can have an effect on how the stages are decided. We will take it day by day for each stage and then as the race develops we will see how the GC is looking."

LINE-UP
Roy Curvers (NED)
Bert De Backer (BEL)
Thierry Hupond (FRA)
Marcel Kittel (GER)
Koen De Kort (NED)
Luka Mezgec (SLO)
Ramon Sinkeldam (NED)
Tom Stamsnijder (NED)