The second edition of the World Ports Classic will become a true sprinter spectacle. Some of the fastest men in the pro peloton will be at the start of the "race of the wind" this Friday in Antwerp. The 18 participating teams will mostly send riders with a strong finish to the race which was introduced last year by Amaury Sport Organisation.

With Niki Terpstra, Gert Steegmans, Matteo Trentin (winner of the Tour de France stage to Lyon) and Alessandro Petacchi, Omega Pharma-Quick Step will be at the start with a strong team. For veteran Petacchi, Rotterdam certainly is not unknown territory. 10 years ago, the Italian won the opening stage of the Tour of the Netherlands in that same city.

The team Lotto-Belisol for the World Ports Classic is mainly built around Andre Greipel. The German national champion receives support from Kenny Dehaes, Marcel Sieberg, Jens Debusschere and Lars Bak. Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise lines up Michael Van Staeyen as their fast manand Accent Jobs-Wanty counts on the speed of Danil oNapolitano.

Dutch WorldTour team Belkin Pro Cycling has included Mark Renshaw, Maarten Tjallingi, Bram Tankink, Maarten Wynants and talented stagiaire Ivar Slik on their roster.

Vacansoleil-DCM counts on the fast legs of Kenny van Hummel and Kris Boeckmans. That duo will be up against the strong 'train' of Argos-Shimano. The four-time Tour stage winner Marcel Kittel hopes to give an already successful season some extra shine with the help of Tom Veelers and Roy Curvers.

The participation of Gerald Ciolek confirms that the World Ports Classic could pass for the unofficial World Championship for sprinters. The German winner of the Milan-San Remo knows that Bryan Coquard is an opponent who belongs to the fastest in the peloton. The young talent from Europcar had recorded seven victories this season, including last weekend in the Classic de l'Indre. Further opposition may come from Raymond Kreder (Garmin-Sharp) who lives near Rotterdam.

The first stage of the World Ports Classic is about 165 kilometers from Antwerp (start at the Museum aan de Stroom) through the province of North Brabant to Rotterdam (finish at the Boompjes). On Saturday the second stage leaves from the Rotterdam Maritime Quarter. The stage takes the riders through the South Holland and Zeeland provinces and finishes back in Antwerp.