A strong startlist for the first of the Ardennes Classics means there are plenty of other riders likely to be in contention on Sunday.
Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEDGE) – third last year – is among them, along with defending Liege-Bastogne-Liege champion Dan Martin (Garmin-Sharp), who will be looking to kick off his 2014 Ardennes campaign in style, and Moreno Moser (Cannondale), who will be keen to prove himself as team leader with Peter Sagan taking a break from racing after the cobbled Classics.
Elsewhere Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) could lead a strong line-up for Astana, which provisionally also includes the in-form Jakob Fuglsang, former winner Enrico Gasparotto and Dutch hardman Lieuwe Westra. Team Sky will also hope to continue their moderately successful one-day season so far, with Geraint Thomas, Ben Swift and Josh Edmondson the three Brits in a line-up which also includes Edvald Boasson Hagen.
