Giant-Shimano going with youth at Critérium du Dauphiné

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Giant-Shimano will line up at the Critérium du Dauphiné  — a key race in the build up for the Tour de France — with a youthful team led by Nikias Arndt and Reinardt Janse van Rensburg who are looking for sprint wins.

The eight-stage race begins in Lyon with a 10km individual time trial, which includes a recently opened two-kilometre underground passageway, with several opportunities for sprint finishes.

At last week's Bayern Rundfahrt, Arndt and van Rensburg were both animating the sprints but are chasing line honours at the French WorldTour race.

Thomas Damuseau, last year's winner of the King of the Mountains classification, returns to the race and after strong showings at the Tour of California, Chad Haga and Daan Olivier also line up for the team which is complemented by the experienced trio — Dries Devenyns, Johannes Fröhlingerand and Thierry Hupond.

"The Dauphiné provides some of the young riders on the team with the opportunity to race a fantastic race at the highest level here in Europe," said Giant-Shimano coach, Christian Guiberteau.

"For the race we have chances for results in the sprints with both Nikias and Reinardt, and after that the goal will be to go on the offensive with the others. We will also see how Daan is going in the mountains. Hopefully we will have a strong week and come away having learned a lot and also with some nice results."

Giant-Shimano for Critérium du Dauphiné: Nikias Arndt, Thomas Damuseau, Dries Devenyns, Johannes Fröhlinger, Chad Haga, Thierry Hupond, Reinardt Janse van Rensburg and Daan Olivier.