Germany’s Marcel Kittel has triumphed on the last two occasions in which the race has begun with a sprint finish, in 2013 and 2014, but will expect to face the challenge of his compatriot Andre Greipel and Britain’s Mark Cavendish.

The first finish of the three week race is set to take place close to Utah Beach, one of the historic landing points on D-Day in June 1944.

It will be one of seven potential sprint stages, while two individual time trials will also take place during the race, which is set to draw to a close on July 24.

Defending champion Chris Froome has already pinpointed stage 12 on Mont Ventoux as a potentially pivotal stage of the race, with the Briton having won on the climb back in 2013.

Froome will expected to face competition from Colombia’s Nairo Quintana and Spain’s two-time winner Alberto Contador, but believes he has a strong enough team to cope with the challenge.

"I feel very honoured to be leading such a great group of guys, I really do feel as if we've got all our bases covered,” Froome told the Team Sky website.

"Personally I feel I'm in great shape coming off the back of the Dauphine and I'm ready for this year's Tour de France.

"But this year, more than any other, the level of competition is that much higher.

“I feel as if I've got more rivals and the level of my rivals is that much higher."

Froome will be hoping to win the 21 stage race for the third time in his career, with the second Grand Tour of the season set to make stops in Andorra and Switzerland, on its way to the final stage at the Champs-Elysees in Paris.

 The race will conclude less than a fortnight before the Rio 2016 men’s Olympic road race event, which will start at the Copacabana Beach.