Chris Froome leads Team Sky for 2016 Tour de France
By Mark Ashenden
Last Updated: 27/06/16 9:43am
Two-time winner Chris Froome will lead Team Sky along with three other Britons at this year's Tour de France.
The race gets going on Saturday July 2 at Mont-Saint-Michel, ending on July 24 in Paris, and Froome is in fine spirits after securing his third Criterium du Dauphine, an event he won before his two Tour victories in 2013 and last year.
Froome will be joined on the start line by Sergio Henao, Vasil Kiryienka, Mikel Landa, Mikel Nieve, Wout Poels, Luke Rowe, Ian Stannard and Geraint Thomas.
Thomas, who finished 15th overall last year, Stannard, one of the strongest riders in the peloton, and rising star Rowe are the other Brits in the nine-man team.
Froome, 31, whose Dauphine title was his third in four years, is one of the hot favourites to secure a third Tour crown.
"The Tour de France will always be the pinnacle of our sport," said Froome.
"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."
Spanish duo Landa and Nieve will provide plenty of climbing support, as will Colombian Henao and Dutchman Poels, with Belarusian time-trial specialist Kiriyenka picked for his all-round ability.
Team Principal Sir Dave Brailsford told SSNHQ: "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 and I'm very confident."
Team Sky members at the Tour: Chris Froome, Sergio Henao, Vasil Kiryienka, Mikel Landa, Mikel Nieve, Wout Poels, Luke Rowe, Ian Stannard, Geraint Thomas
