Defending champion Chris Froome will make his challenge for a third Tour de France title in four years with the support of a strong, climb minded Team Sky line-up.
Froome will be joined on the starting line at Mont St-Michel on July 2 by British riders Luke Rowe, Geraint Thomas and Ian Stannard, Team Sky confirmed yesterday.
The 31-year-old Froome won the Tour last year and in 2013, while British-based Team Sky also triumphed in 2012 when Bradley Wiggins took the title.
With Astana and Movistar providing tough competition, Froome will enjoy top class support on the crucial mountain stages. With the proven climb ability of Spanish duo Mikel Landa and Mikel Nieve, Colombia’s Sergio Henao and Dutchman Wout Poels, Froome is unlikely to find himself isolated in either the Pyrenees or the Alps. Belarusian time-trial specialist Vasil Kiriyenka has been picked for his all-round ability and to lead the drive along the flat sections. Froome will go into the Tour in fine form after winning his third Criterium du Dauphine and he can’t wait to get started.
“The Tour de France will always be the pinnacle of our sport,” Froome said.
“I feel in good shape coming into the race and am fortunate to have a strong team around me - both on and off the bike.
“Every rider obviously starts every new Tour equal and what has gone before counts for nothing. This year I am hungrier than ever for success.
“There is not a trace of complacency in the team. We know how hard this race will be and how much we will have to give if we want to win it again. But we have trained hard. “We’re ready for the challenge and can’t wait to get back racing in front of the millions of people in France who make the race so special.”
Team Principal Dave Brailsford believes Froome can win again and he told Sky Sports News: “Froome has been here before and he knows how to deal with this experience. “He’s confident, ready to go and is very hungry and wants to win.
“I’m absolutely confident this team will pull together and give everything to win this race. They will be completely together as a unit and there will be no squabbles. “Their feedback will be fantastic and they will be very blunt with each other. In terms of support for Chris, they will optimise his chances of winning.”
Kittel back at Tour with new team
German sprint king Marcel Kittel returns to the Tour de France next month with his new Etixx-Quick Step team.
Kittel won four stages in each of the 2013 and 2014 editions but injury and illness ruled him out of last year’s race.
He has since moved to Etixx from Giant, replacing the man he surpassed as the world’s best sprinter in the process, Briton Mark Cavendish.
Etixx picked a team with the view of winning stages that includes German three-time world time-trial champion Tony Martin and punchers Dan Martin of Ireland and France’s Julien Alaphilippe.
Etixx team for the Tour de France: Julian Alaphilippe (FRA), Iljo Keisse (BEL), Marcel Kittel (GER), Dan Martin (IRL), Tony Martin (GER), Maximiliano Richeze (ARG), Fabio Sabatini (ITA), Petr Vakoc (CZE), Michel Vermote (BEL)
Lotto take a chance on Groenewegen
Dutch cycling team Lotto NL are betting on rookie sprinter Dylan Groenewegen on the 2016 Tour de France after Robert Gesink was involved in a heavy fall last week.
Senior rider Gesink has failed to get over his tumble in the Tour of Switzerland, Lotto NL said yesterday, and have named the 23-year-old Dutchman Groenewegen in his
place.
“This will be good for his development, although we hadn’t been considering giving him his Tour debut just yet,” said team manager Nico Verhoeven.
“We’d like to win a stage on this tour however,” said Verhoeven, who hinted his strongest chance of that might be climber Wilco Kelderman.
Lotto NL for the Tour de France George Bennett (NZL), Dylan Groenewegen (NED), Wilco Kelderman (NED), Bert-Jan Lindeman (NED), Paul Martens (GER), Timo Roosen (NED), Sep Vanmarcke (BEL), Robert Wagner (GER), Maarten Wynants (BEL).
Chris Froome
