In a completely flat stage (166 km), which will take place along the North Sea dikes, nerves and wind will be the main concern for the peloton, although meteorological reports indicate that in the final part it will blow head on and not sideways”, as Castroviejo, faithful supporter of Nairo Quintana remembers. Maybe it will rain, and this will be the first opportunity for the sprinters. Kristoff, Cavendish, Greipel, Degenkolb, Matthews, Bouhanni, Demare, Sagan... Almost all of the elite of speed will compete on Sunday in Zeeland.
Absent the dominator of 2013 and 2014, Marcel Kittel, due to a virus and a horrible season, it is expected that Katusha, Etixx, and Lotto-Soudal will impose their trains in the sprints. Kristoff, top scorer of 2015 with 18 triumphs, wants to increase the number: "I have two goals in the Tour. I would love to add more, despite the difficulty of beating my rivals". Cavendish, injured last year in Harrogate, in his country, on the first day of the Tour de France, wants to make up for it: "I have missed the sensations of the greatest race in the world so much."
For the green jersey, the Tour has changed the rules. New rules that can be called anti-Sagan (winner in 2012, 2013 and 2014): victories will be prioritized over consistency in the standings, and the stages are divided into different coefficients. However, the Slovak has said that he will focus on helping Contador: "The Tinkoff's goal is the yellow jersey. If I get the points jersey, a stage or several, it will be a bonus. I come to support Alberto."