Lotto Soudal and Etixx-QuickStep both won several stages at the 2015 Tour de France. Both are ambitious for the 2016 event too.

Lotto Soudal manager Marc Sergeant has big hopes for André Greipel. "It is his dream to take the yellow jersey and he gets a chance in the first stage. This is a magical moment," he told Sporza.

"With a little optimism, I see not 6 but even seven stages that could end in a sprint. Those stages are made longer. It's a nice Tour, with hope for the sprinters.

"I do not know if we will take a GC rider. We need to have the discussion with Tony Gallopin. He must weigh up whether he will go for a a GC between 5th and 10th place and do the preparation for that.

"For Tim Wellens I do not know. Maybe he is eager to get a second chance in the Tour. Or he can do the Giro. I believe in both ideas, because I believe in Tim."

Etixx-Quick Step sports director Wilfried Peeters sees "a normal Tour".

"We have long flat stages, time trials and short mountain stages, with more climbs," he told Sporza. 

"It will be the intention to turn it into a war of attrition. Last summer there was more spectacle and it will now be about exhaustion.

"With Tony Martin, we are aiming to win the first time trial. It is not flat, but anyone with power should be able to handle it. We will be trying to win."