Etixx - Quick-Step to Aviva Tour of Britain

Etixx - Quick-Step has announced the selection that will participate in Aviva Tour of Britain, a 1443.6km stage race from September 6th, until the 13th of September.

Etixx - Quick-Step hopes to repeat the success of the 2014 edition, which included three stage wins and a 2nd place finisher in the overall.

Mark Cavendish, the man with the most modern Aviva Tour of Britain stage wins (10), will lead the team in his eighth career appearance. The Manx Missile is well supported by a strong selection. Etixx -Quick-Step is also at the start with former Czech Champion Zdenek Stybar, who won Strade Bianche and Le Tour de France Stage 6 this season.

Also at the start is 2014 Aviva Tour of Britain Stage 2 winner Mark Renshaw, as well as young Colombian phenom Fernando Gaviria as a stagiaire. Gaviria has earned quick success with Etixx - Quick-Step, winning Czech Cycling Tour Stage 2 in just his second participation with the team. Matteo Trentin, two-time Le Tour de France stage winner, and Petr Vakoc, overall winner of Czech Cycling Tour recently, will also be at the start.

"I'm excited to ride the Tour of Britain," Cavendish said. "It's my 'home' tour and it's always something special to ride in front of your national crowd. It's already my 8th time at the race and year-by-year I can see how cycling is growing in this nation. We are at the start to try to be successful as we were last year. We have a strong team and we are ready to race. This year the course is extremely difficult. It will be also a good final preparation for the UCI World Championships in Richmond."

"This is the first time that I ride this race," Stybar said. "I'm pretty curious about it. My teammates told me that it's a tough race, without a meter of flat road, designed in great scenarios. It will be even more difficult because the teams are formed by only six riders, so it's not easy to control the race. The atmosphere will be great, I'm sure. I have never raced on the road in United Kingdom, but I remember the great images of the Olympics and the Grand Depart of the Tour de France last year. It will be nice to be part of this race. As for my condition, I think I'm okay and I'm looking forward to participate in the race."