Froome to finish first in France claims Sporting Index

It was at this iconic tidal island monastery in Normandy, where the general director of the Tour de France, Christian Prudhomme, blew the starting whistle, reports Efe.

We’ve not even touched on the boxing, golf and athletics that fill the sporting calendar.

He added: “We’ll take that decision as the race goes on”.

The thing that every cyclist races for in the Tour de France is the yellow jersey.

No one has won more road stages in the history of race than the Manx Missile, though Cav has already expressed concern at how his Olympic preparation could hamper his bid for another Green sprinters Jersey. Expected to end in a bunch finish, the teams protecting the overall contenders will have to vie with those of the sprinters to stay at the head of the peloton and out of trouble. Another rider Sky will not be letting gain too much ground in the mountains is France’s Thibaut Pinot, an impressively strong climber whose time trialling, previously a notable chink in his armour, has massively improved in the last six months. Challenging him for the top spot will be recent Giro d’Italia victor from Astana Pro Team, Vincenzo Nibali.

Small and light at about 130 pounds (less than 60 kilograms), Quintana developed his technique while cycling to school in the Colombian town of Combita, which has an altitude of almost 3,000 meters (10,000 feet).

Colombian Quintana finished second to Froome both in 2013 and 2015, previous year losing vital time when getting caught behind a crash. In reality he also won the 2010 TDF and finished fifth in 2011, but was stripped of these titles after he was found guilty of accidental ingestion of the prohibited substance Clenbuterol.

This year’s opening stage gives him another chance to claim the yellow jersey which has thus far eluded him, and he is only two stage wins behind Bernard Hinault for second all-time. “It was a massive achievement that I rode most of the Tour at the front but that first week really took its toll at the end”.

A first taste of mountains will be on Stage 5, in the Massif Central. French hopes will rest on the shoulders of Pierre Rolland who generally finishes high in the GC and is known for his ability to climb and keep the pace high.

He has enjoyed an excellent season, winning the Volta a Catalunya, Tour de Romandie, and Route du Sud, and with the course appearing to suit his style, Quintana should push Froome all the way. Dominating this part of the sport is the charismatic Czech Peter Sagan.

At this point, the favourite will move up the standings but not necessarily take the lead. As always the man nipping at his heels is British rider Mark Cavendish. Throw Andre Greipel into the mix and the battle has well and truly commenced.

There are specialists in the event that race for each jersey as well. A few days in the South including a trip into Andorra for the first time since 2009 will be the springboard to the Alps via the legendary Mont Ventoux, where a foray into Switzerland will set up the final time trial and mountain summit finish before Paris. There will no doubt be jerseys won and lost on all of these stages.

Three stage wins in as many years is not the sort of return Cavendish and his fans were accustomed to during his run of total domination between 2008 and 2012, but the Manxman insists his training numbers show he is as fast as he ever was, and he still has big targets.