Tour de France organisers have announced the teams that will compete in the 2018 edition of the race, with French teams filling three of the four wildcard spots.
Taking their places alongside the 18 WorldTour teams, who are automatically given spots in all WorldTour races, will be the Cofidis, Direct Energie, Fortuneo-Samsic, and Wanty-Groupe Gobert professional continental-level teams, the same four wildcard teams that competed in the 2017 race.
As well as announcing the wildcard teams for the Tour de France, race organisers ASO also revealed which second division teams would take part in some of its other WorldTour stage races.
All four places at Paris-Nice will go to French teams, with Cofidis, Delko Marseille-Provence KTM, Direct Energie, and Fortuneo-Samsic securing a spot in the Race to the Sun, while Cofidis, Fortuneo-Samsic, the new Vital Concept team, and Wanty-Groupe Gobert have been invited to compete in the Critérium du Dauphiné.
Watch: Tour de France 2018 route guide
Direct Energie rider Lilian Calmejane's win into Station des Rousses was the only victory taken by a wildcard team in last year's Tour, although Wanty-Groupe Gobert in particular captured the headlines with their plucky, frequent, but ultimately unsuccessful breakaway attempts.
The selection of Fortuneo-Samsic means that Warren Barguil, who took two stage wins and the polka dot jersey in last year's edition, should return to the race in 2018 following his move from Team Sunweb.
Wildcard spots have typically been given to French professional continental teams, with the likes of Cofidis and Direct Energie (formerly Europcar) having been all-but guaranteed a place in the race in recent years.
The 2018 edition of the Tour de France will start on July 7 in Noirmoutier-en-l'Île, finishing three weeks later with the traditional sprinters' finish on the Champs-Élysées.
ASO also organise a number of major one-day races, with the wildcard team line-ups for the likes of Paris-Roubaix, La Flèche Wallonne, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège usually announced in February.
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
-
-
Former Tour de France yellow jersey wearer to ride Unbound Gravel
Unbound 200 contestants will be joined by a gravel newcomer of note this year. Former Tour de France race leader Jan Bakelants is joining in on the fray.
-
POC Ventral Tempus MIPS Review - A helmet for riding in the rain, and being seen
Bright, light and comfortable, but not cheap
-
Closing the gap: David Gaudu emerges from Paris-Nice more confident than ever before
The Groupama-FDJ rider finished second overall at the Race to the Sun, but gained more than just the result
-
Goodbye lime: We need to talk about the Tour de France green jersey
There's change afoot at ASO's French races, with the combativity colour also undergoing a revamp
-
Andrei Kivilev remembered 20 years on from his death at Paris-Nice
Kazakh rider’s death during 2003 edition led to helmets being made obligatory in racing
-
Paris-Nice just first step on the road to Tour de France redemption for Tadej Pogačar
The UAE Team Emirates rider might have won the Race to the Sun but he is not taking anything for granted
-
Lefevere suggests UCI is 'short of cash' after fining Alaphilippe
Soudal Quick-Step rails against the ruling body after his French team leader is penalised for removing his helmet while racing
-
Big two becomes big three as Gaudu joins Pogačar and Vingegaard at Paris-Nice
Tadej Pogačar might have won again, but it was close, and David Gaudu could yet win Paris-Nice
-
'It's likely to be very dangerous' - Inside Paris-Nice stage six, the race that never was
Friday's stage was first shortened to 80km, then called off completely thanks to "exceptionally violent winds"
-
‘Second is not bad but it’s the victories that count’ - Olav Kooij gets revenge at Paris-Nice
Jumbo-Visma rider overhauls Pedersen in reversal of stage two fortunes
