TEAM PROFILE Country: Italy Manager: Alvaro Crespi Team leader: Paolo Bettini, Frank Vandenbroucke Best Tour: Six stage wins in 1998

They may have lost the impressive Miguel Martinez, who showed moments of courage in the mountains in the 2003 Tour, and Cadel Evans among others.

But effectively the core of the team remains.

World Cup leader Paolo Bettini is once again at the hub of the team and could pick up a stage win, if his early form is anything to go by.

The Italian won the season-opening Milan-Sanremo with an impressive ride to keep his place ahead of the world's elite in the standings.

Luca Paolini also impressed in the same race, leading home Bettini before finishing third himself.

Team-mate Frank Vandenbroucke, a new signing for the season, has shone early on this season at times, finishing second in the Tour of Flanders.

But sadly for the team he will not make the race.

For all that, stage victories look likely to be the major quest of the team, which lost its Mapei sponsorship when the company decided to end its long-term relationship with cycling.

Hungary's Laszlo Bodrogi remains a realistic early yellow jersey wearer.

The former world champion has starred in time trials before and should be among the top 10 when the prologue is completed on day one of the Tour.

In the King of the Mountains competition, Richard Virenque could be in contention if he manages to recapture his best climbing form.