Nacer Bouhanni has a point to prove to his team bosses with Arnaud Demare said to be challenging him for the team leadership at the Tour de France. Having been forced to abandon last year’s 100th Tour, Bouhanni wants another crack at the race, and success in the Giro will certainly pose some tricky questions for the FDJ.fr bosses. Bouhanni has five victories to his name this season, and topped the points classification in his last stage race outing – the Circuit Cycliste Sarthe.

All five victories, however, have arrived in his home country. A consistent showing at the Tour of Oman – where he earned four top-five finishes – was enough to place him second in the points classification but he was unable to topple Andre Greipel and may find the German’s compatriot, Marcel Kittel, a similarly unstoppable opponent. Bouhanni had earned 51 points before he withdrew from last year’s race half-way through. He will need to improve on that this time out if he is to challenge for the maglia rosso.