Tour de France early preview: Froome leads Team Sky, Wiggins out

Miles Crosby | July 3, 2014

When the 2014 Tour de France starts on the July 5th, it will be the beginning of a three week battle through France. The first two days of these will be in Yorkshire, however, as the race crosses through the Dales and the Vale of York, taking in some of England’s most beautiful countryside, followed by a third stage finishing in London.

Some 198 riders will take part in one of the world’s most gruelling feats of endurance, crossing seas and mountains, and covering an average of 108 miles a day. One man’s prize at the end will be the most prestigious event in cycling, and certainly one of the more illustrious in any sport.

The Tour de France is something of a cultural phenomenon; even those who care little for the sport of cycling will have heard of the race. Started in 1903 by a newspaper owner as a way to increase his readership, the 2014 race will be the 101st edition. Widely regarded as one the toughest sporting events in the world, its fame means it’s often referred to as just ‘Le Tour’; the Tour. The men who will roll through Yorkshire on the first day will be looking to write their name into history.

Of those riders, top billing must go to Chris Froome. The Kenyan-born Briton is the current title holder, having won the 2013 edition in convincing style, and finished second to Sir Bradley Wiggins the year before. Froome has behind him the considerable might of Team Sky and their director Sir Dave Brailsford, the man who has been instrumental in transforming British cycling into a world-beating force in recent years. When the road reaches to the sky on the mountain stages, where the Tour will be won and lost, few will be able to keep pace with Froome, and he starts as the odds-on 10/11 favourite.

Froome will face arguably his toughest tour yet, however. His main rival will be Spaniard Alberto Contador, placed second in the odds at 11/8. Also a two time winner of the Tour, Contador was regarded the greatest cyclist of his generation only a few years ago. Like Froome now, he had a sensational ability to ride away from his challengers in the mountains and could hold his own in the time trials.