Mark Cavendish's fitness will be a work in progress as Team Dimension Data named the superstar sprinter to lead their 2017 Tour de France challenge.
Cavendish contracted Epstein-Barr virus, also known as mononucleosis or glandular fever, earlier this year and will have raced only twice before the Tour de France gets underway in Dusseldorf, Germany on Saturday.
Cavendish failed to finish a tough and hilly British national championships on Sunday, but made it through the recent Tour of Slovenia in good enough shape to convince Team DiData that if his recovery continues, he will be a legitimate contender on the sprinters' stages next month.
Whatever Cavendish might lack in horsepower, he will hope to make up for in experience and street smarts. Certainly the Manxman's pedigree speaks for itself: as a former world road race champion and winner of 30 stages of the Tour de France (and 15 at the Giro d'Italia), Cavendish knows that there are more ways to win than through speed alone.
"Despite my lack of race time, I've worked incredibly hard both to ensure I could firstly recover from the illness as well as then aiming to build my fitness up as much as possible in order to start the Tour," said Cavendish.
"If I am being totally honest, had this not been the Tour de France we may have collectively taken a different approach with regards to my inclusion but I feel that I owe it to myself, the team, our sponsors and most importantly to the Tour itself given its history and everything that it stands for - as well as the emotional attachment I have for it - to give it my best and to put everything I have into trying to help the team."
Cavendish is just four wins away from equalling Eddie Merckx's all-time record of 34 stage wins at the Tour, and will be backed up by a sprint train headed by his handpicked lead-out man, Mark Renshaw.
Newly crowned Norwegian time trial champion Edvald Boassen Hagen and current and former South African road race champions Reinhardt Janse van Rensburg and Jaco Venter will also be key men in delivering Cavendish to the line.
Apart from the sprints, Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka's strategy will be based around specific riders targeting breakaway stage wins and in Steve Cummings, fresh from road and TT glory at the British champs, and all-rounder Serge Pauwels, Africa's Team have two of the best in the business.
Scott Thwaites, the third Briton on Didata's Tour roster, will be making his Tour de France debut while the team looks to 17-year pro Bernhard Eisel to be their captain on the road.
This will be the third consecutive appearance at the Tour de France for Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka and while the team will be hunting for stage wins and the lead in the different classifications - particularly the sprinters' green jersey and the polka-dot king of the mountains jersey - the team will also be taking their #BicyclesChangeLives campaign to a global audience.
"I feel a great sense of pride to be supporting Qhubeka and our Bicycles Change Lives campaign," said Cavendish, "and I am keen to raise as much awareness as possible for what is such an incredible cause."
Team principal Douglas Ryder echoed his star sprinter. "This team was built on a dream and to be in our third Tour de France is so special as we chase more dreams with every single rider who will represent this team and what it stands for," he said.
"The hard work that has been put in by the riders and our team partners to be ready to represent Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka in this year's Tour is truly incredible and shows their commitment to the sport of cycling and the impact they can make on others."
Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka squad for the 2017 Tour de France:
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Mark Cavendish
Steve Cummings
Bernhard Eisel
Reinhardt Janse van Rensburg
Serge Pauwels
Mark Renshaw
Scott Thwaites
Jaco Venter