Deceuninck-QuickStep will be without strong Czech rider Zdenek Stybar in this year's Tour de France, which starts Saturday in Nice. However, the in-form Remi Cabaña will start the second half of the race in place of Stybar, who is suffering from a knee tendon injury.

After the team made the announcement on social media, it was Cavagna who took the stage at the Tour team announcement in Nice on Thursday evening, where he will support team leader Julien Alaphilippe and sprinter Sam Bennett.

"Unfortunately, Zdenek Stival has been forced to withdraw from this year's Tour de France due to a knee tendon injury. In his place, Remi Cabaña will be on the start line in Nice. We wish Zdenek a speedy recovery."

The 25-year-old has competed in both the Tour de Ain and the Criterium du Dauphiné since resuming competition after a suspension due to a coronavirus outbreak, becoming the French time trial champion last week and winning the European Championships time trial three days later with a silver medal behind Switzerland's Stephane Cung He won the silver medal behind Switzerland's Stephane Küng in the European Championships time trial three days later.

And at the Bretagne Classique-Aust-France on Tuesday, he was in a six-man breakaway group and rode alone for about 40 km before eventually being caught up in the peloton. On his current form, Cavagna may have been a bit unlucky not to be selected from the eight riders in the Dečuninck-Quick-Step, but he should be able to make his Tour de France debut.

"It's something I've wanted to do for a long time, and obviously I was disappointed when they told me I wouldn't be competing in the Tour," Cavagna said. But I know that one day I will get there. This is not my last year as a professional.

Cavagna had his sights set on a time trial stage at the Giro d'Italia in October, but it remains to be seen if that will be his goal. The Tour will be Cavagna's third career Grand Tour, completing a "set" that included last year's Vuelta a España and the 2018 Giro.