Simon Gerrans will lead Orica-GreenEDGE on Sunday as defending champion, though his form is still something of an unknown quantity after an injury-hit start to 2015.

However, the Australia team has other cards to play and Briton Simon Yates is among them. Yates readily admitted a bad day at La Fleche Wallonne (where he finished 62nd) and is keen to bounce back at La Doyenne.

Still only 22, Yates was right at the front of the bunch on the Huy first time around, and if he can show the form that brought him fifth overall at the Tour of the Basque Country he could carve out another significant result in his fledgling career. Team-mate Michael Albasini was third at La Fleche Wallonne, meanwhile, to prove he can be a contender too.

Former winner Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing) should never be counted out either, but his crash at La Fleche Wallonne was a bad one and it will be interesting to see what shape he is in come Sunday.

Another rider to look out for is Roman Kreuziger (Tinkoff-Saxo), who has made the race a priority after finishing 14th at the Amstel Gold Race and 11th at La Fleche Wallonne. The Czech rider says those results have proved to him he has the form, and with La Doyenne his chief target of the spring he is ready to step it up.

Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) has also been making a nuisance of himself at the Amstel Gold Race and La Fleche Wallonne. Two late attacks may not have come off, and his aim is form for the Tour rather than victory here, but don’t take your eyes off the Italian champion.

Likewise team-mate Jakob Fuglsang has shown some strong form so far this season and was eighth at La Fleche Wallonne. The two have become adept at following one stinging attack with another telling move, and such tactics could prove fruitful on Sunday.