Mark Cavendish (Etixx-QuickStep)
Mark Cavendish (Etixx-QuickStep)
Mark Cavendish’s stunning form at the start of the season has tailed off in recent weeks, with no stage win at Tirreno-Adriatico, losing touch with the bunch on the Poggio at Milan-San Remo and then being dropped again at Dwars Door Vlaanderen.
The Manx Missile is one of a number of Etixx-QuickStep men capable of success in Wevelgem – and he is certainly among the most hungry having spoken in the past of his love of the race.
He has been made to suffer on the Kemmelberg before but if he can recapture some of the shape he showed early in the season he can avoid lightning striking again.
His victory at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne means he has already edged out the likes of Kristoff on the cobbles and Etixx have other options if he can’t repeat the fate too.
Czech champion Zdenek Stybar is perhaps the leading of those, but if Cavendish is still in the bunch for a group dash to the line you can expect to see the Manxman leading QuickStep home.