The Eneco Tour is the penultimate WorldTour event of the season (19-25 September), having been shifted on the calendar this year to fit around the Olympics, and it has attracted a star-studded cast ahead of the World Championships.

With lots to offer both sprinters and time trial specialists in preparation for Doha, the week-long Dutch and Belgian stage race is sure to provide plenty of late-season entertainment.

And while some riders will have their eye on specific stages, the powerful Classics men will be targeting overall victory and those all important WorldTour points on the tough European terrain.

Sky will be led by Geraint Thomas at the Eneco Tour as he goes in search of his third win of the season. The Welshman, who won the Volta ao Algarve and Paris-Nice earlier in the season, was back in action at the recent Grand Prix de Quebec and Grand Prix de Montreal for the first time since his top-10 finish in the Olympic time trial and he'll be hoping to end his season in style.

Michal Kwiatkowski has recovered from the lower back issues that forced him out of the Vuelta a Espana and he will be a crucial helper in Thomas' bid for the title. Vasil Kiryienka is sure to shine in the race's two time trials, in what could be his last events wearing the rainbow jersey, as he ramps up his preparations for the worlds.

Elia Viviani is another rider with his eye on the worlds and, having won a stage of the Eneco Tour in 2015, the Italian would love to repeat that feat as he gets back into the swing of road racing after his track success in the omnium at the Olympics. Danny van Poppel and Andy Fenn will be crucial in Viviani's leadout train, while Luke Rowe and Lars Petter Nordhaug round out the eight-man team.

Back in 2011 Edvald Boasson Hagen won stage six on his way to wrapping up the overall title, as well as the youth and points classifications in a dominant performance for Sky.

Two years later David Lopez attacked from the day's break on stage six up the famous La Redoute climb and managed to stave off the chasing pack by a mere two seconds to take a fine win.

Sky then had to wait another two years for the next win at the race, with Elia Viviani prevailing on stage one in 2015 by out-sprinting Andre Greipel (Lotto Soudal).