Chris Froome realizes he’s on the cusp of greatness.
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Ed Fulton, Trading Spokesman for Sporting Index, said: “Chris Froome is attempting to be the first rider in 20 years to win consecutive Tour de France titles amid stiff competition, and with the little matter of the Rio Olympics on the horizon, it could prove a tall order”.
The first four stages feature hardly any climbing – though there is an uphill finish in Cherbourg on stage two – so avoid packing your team with mountain goats for now, even if that’s where the eventual race for the yellow jersey will be played out. “That’s definitely something that I think I’ll pick up the phone to around the time of the Tour”.
The 31-year-old will hope that his performances are not scrutinized with the same negativity as last year when he faced a barrage of doping insinuations after smashing his rivals in the first mountain stage.
Froome is the defending champion and also won in 2013.
Rumors have been rife for several years that these devices were being deployed, with various unsubstantiated allegations surrounding their use in cycling’s top races, including the Tour.
The Mont-Saint-Michel, a World Heritage Benedictine abbey perched on a rock off the Normandy coast, will provide a picture-postcard start for the race as the Grand Depart returns to home roads after visits to Britain and the Netherlands in the last two years.
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. Right now, I would probably have to go with Nairo Quintana [as the main rival], given that he finished runner-up to me both times that I have won the Tour de France.
“Everyone is a rival until they lose time on the general classification”.
The 103rd Tour will visit three neighboring countries Spain, Andorra and Switzerland and pass through 16 sites and stage cities unseen in previous editions.
The Spaniard has spent much of 2016 discussing his future and announced ahead of the Tour that he would postpone his retirement again, although he will leave Tinkoff at the end of the year.
Another serious test comes in Stage 12 with an ascent of Mont Ventoux on Bastille Day, July 14.
Adam Yates although, not Australian, rides for Orica GreenEDGE and is a good chance of a top 10 while Adam Hansen will continue to create history by lining up in his 15th straight grand tour.
The race is broken up into 21 parts of “stages”, according to the BBC.
After this, all that will remain is the traditional but mostly ceremonial finish alongside cheering crowds on the Champs-Elysees on July 24. But after the November terrorist attacks in France, Contador suggested he might abandon the salute at the Tour.
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