Peter Sagan (Total Energies), Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo), and Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadier) return to the Sarthe-Pays de la Loire circuit this week to get in shape for Paris-Roubaix.

The four-day race in central France offers several opportunities for sprinters. Mark Cavendish will lead the Quick Step-Alfa Vinyl team, which includes Yves Lampert and Tim Declercq. Cavendish will be up against Elia Viviani (Ineos Grenadiers), Olaf Kooi (Jumbo Visma), Nasser Bouhanni, and Hugo Hofstetter (Alcare Sumsic).

Luke Plapp (Ineos Grenadiers) and Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) are also on the start list.

Between 1953 and 1974, the Circuit de la Sarthe was an amateur race, but since then it has been a solid affair, often with a thrilling finale on the last hilly stage. The France Cup was not held in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 epidemic, but has now been revived and now includes seven WorldTour teams, as well as Total Energies and other quality professional teams.

With Paris-Roubaix postponed for a week due to the French presidential election, the Circuit de la Sarthe will offer the last chance to improve and test their form before the inferno in the north.

Ganna had not raced since Milan-San Remo and was sick for a week after the Italian Classics. He returned to Italy to work on the track before heading to northern France for Paris-Roubaix.

Peter Sagan raced the E3 Saxo Bank Classic and Ghent-Wevelgem, but missed the Tour de Flanders due to illness and questions about the reasons for it; his second COVID-19 infection and poor health sidelined him for the spring, so he spent time in Monaco, took some tests, and then headed to Paris-Roubaix. Sarthe circuit in an attempt to get back into shape for Roubaix.

Cavendish has already won three of the 2022 sprints and will be looking for more victories this week as he heads to the Giro d'Italia.

Tuesday's opening stage may not be for the sprinters, as it includes 2500m of climbing on the hilly course around Mummers, but the following three days should stimulate a sprint battle and overall competition.

Cavendish, competing in his first Salto, will be supported by De Clercq, Lampert, Bert van Lerberghe, and neo-pro Stan Van Trijdt.

"Sarthe is a complicated race with narrow roads and open fields, which combined with the rain and wind expected this week could make it a really difficult race," said Tom Steele, sport director of Quick Step Alphavinir.

"We have to take into account that we will start with only five riders, but we will do our best and together with Mark we will try to win a stage."