Mats Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) will be the man to watch as Lidl-Trek looks for its third consecutive stage win at the Tour de France.

The former world champion was announced as a key rider in a group of Americans affected by injury and illness.

Giulio Ciccone, last year's Tour mountain champion, is back on the start list after suffering from saddle pain early in the season.

The Italian will lead the climbing ambitions without GC leader Tao Geoghegan Hart, who missed registration last week due to a broken rib and illness from COVID-19.

Along with leaders Pedersen and Ciccone, Jasper Steuben, Carlos Verona, Ryan Gibbons, Tim De Klerk, Julien Bernard, and Toms Skuzins will start in Florence on June 29.

"Despite having to change our original lineup due to illness and injury, we are incredibly confident in the strength of our team for the Tour de France," said Director Sportif Steven de Jong in a team release.

"With Tao Geoghegan Hart unfortunately unable to race, we have increased our support so that Mads (Pedersen) can aim for a stage win, but we have also assembled a team with a wealth of experience and depth in their respective talents.

"The group of riders we know and have seen countless times this year and in previous years works very well.

Ciccone came back strong in the Dauphiné, finishing second on stage 6 and third on stage 7, and would have finished eighth or better overall had it not been for his time trial failure.

"Giulio [Ciccone] has been improving nicely since his return from health problems earlier this year and had an impressive race at the Criterium du Dauphiné, especially on the last three climbing stages," de Jong said.

Gibbons will be the last of the Dane's leadout after his impressive victory in the first stage of the Criterium du Dauphiné, but will be without Alex Kirsch, an important part of the train and Pedersen's close friend.

"Jasper [Stuyven] will also fill in for the injured Alex [Kirsch], but we know from his performance in the Giro d'Italia and later in Belgium that he will be a valuable asset," de Jong

Stuyven, the winner of Milan-San Remo, is not a bad replacement even after the Giro, where he played a supporting role for Jonathan Milan. The Belgian hopes Pedersen can replicate Milan's success in Trek, where he took three stage wins and the points jersey in Italy.

Pedersen's two victories in the Tour were very different: a three-man breakaway sprint to Saint-Etienne over Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) and an uphill sprint to Limoges over Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin Desseuninck). They were very different.

His versatility makes him a strong option on many stages, and with stage wins in his last four Grand Tour appearances, he will want to keep that record.

- Mats Pedersen - Giulio Ciccone - Jasper Steiven - Carlos Verona - Ryan Gibbons - Tim De Klerk - Julien Bernard - Toms Skuzins

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