Some of the world’s top sprinters, including back-to-back winner Marcel Kittel, former champion Mark Cavendish and multiple Grand Tour winner Vincenzo Nibali, will be competing in next week’s Dubai Tour.

The fifth edition of the event runs from February 6-10.

The provisional entry list, announced on Wednesday, also includes Italians Elia Viviani and Giacomo Nizzolo, Frenchman Nacer Bouhanni, Holland’s Dylan Groenewegen, who stood on the 2017 Dubai Tour podium every day and finished third in the General Classification, and Norwegian Alexander Kristoff, the 2017 European Road Champion.

Puncheur John Degenkolb of Germany and Irish all-rounder Nicolas Roche also feature on the entry list for the 2018 edition of the event, which is organised by Dubai Sports Council in partnership with RCS Sports and Events DMCC.

Star name riders in full:

Marcel Kittel (GER – Katusha Alpecin)
Mark Cavendish (British Isles – Team Dimension Data)
Alexander Kristoff (NOR – UAE Team Emirates)
Elia Viviani (ITA – Team Sky)
John Degenkolb (GER – Trek-Segafredo)
Dylan Groenewegen (NED – Team Lotto NL-Jumbo)
Nacer Bouhanni (FRA – Cofidis, Solutions Credits)
Vincenzo Nibali (ITA – Bahrain Merida)