Quick-Step announce surprising Tour de France lineup - Alaphilippe, Cavendish and Sénéchal not selected

Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team have announced their lineup for the Tour de France and it contains some surprises, with notable absences and a team focused on stage wins but also the hilly stages.

Fabio Jakobsen will be the team leader as he makes his debut in the Tour de France, in search of stage wins and the green jersey. Michael Morkov and Yves Lampaert will be his main support crew, with Florian Sénéchal a notable absence after his current run of form, win at the national championships and traditional position in Jakobsen's leadout. Mark Cavendish has also been confirmed to not have been selected, something which he himself was expecting despite his win at the nationals.

Perhaps most surprising of all though is the absence of the World champion Julian Alaphilippe. Het Nieuwsblad reported his morning the news, and it's now confirmed despite the Frenchman's very quick recovery from injuries sustained in the Ardennes classics. The team has not ignored the hilly stages though, as both Mikkel Honoré and Andrea Bagioli come as surprises in the lineup. Kasper Asgreen also comes as a surprise after his injuries sustained at the Tour de Suisse which do not ensure the Dane will be at his best form, but nevertheless he will be helping the leadout and hunting breakaways throughout the race.

Although having struggled in the mountains, Mattia Cattaneo has been showing a lot of prowess in the time-trials and finished 12th last year at the Tour, and he is likely to be targeting a Top10 place, with the assistance aswell of the two riders above. Tim Declercq concludes the squad, he who will be working long days at the head of the peloton in the flat stages, and guiding Jakobsen through the mountains.

Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team for Tour de France: Fabio Jakobsen, Kasper Asgreen, Mattia Cattaneo, Tim Declercq, Yves Lampaert, Mikkel Honoré, Michael Morkov and Andrea Bagioli.