10 TOUR FAVOURITES
CAN
FROOME
WIN
A FIFTH TITLE?
The Team Ineos star is still the man
to beat at this year’s Tour de France.
But who are the other contenders
snapping at his heels in the quest for
the yellow jersey? We give a star rating
to 10 favourites. B Y Q U E N T I N F I N N É
the winner of six Grand
Tours, Chris Froome is an
GBR, Team Ineos
outstanding performer in
Tour de France
three-week races. The perfect
appearances: 8
combination of rouleur and
climber, the Briton wants to
match the five victories of Tour
legends Jacques Anquetil,
Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault
and Miguel Indurain – a
prospect that seems to keep
him motivated. Well capable
of reinventing himself and
surprising his rivals, Froome
has always been able to adapt
his qualities to the route and
has sometimes made decisive
moves on climbs, occasionally
on descents, or even when
echelons form in the wind.
WE AKNESSES Although his position as Team Sky’s leader
wasn’t previously up for debate, Froome will now have to
deal with the presence of the 2018 Tour winner, Geraint
Thomas, in his team. The two Team Ineos riders are friends
and have vowed not to damage each other’s hopes, but
every contender will probably want to assert their personal
ambitions during the opening two weeks of the race. Could
a two-leader strategy deprive each of them of significant
support at a key moment?
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
46 | TO U R
D E F R A NC E 2019
GERAINT THOMAS
STRENGTHS Schooled like
Bradley Wiggins on the track
(he’s a two-time Olympic gold
medallist and a three-time
world champion in the team
pursuit), Geraint Thomas
demonstrated on the last
Tour that he has become
much more than a powerful
rouleur. Winner of the stage
to La Rosière and also at Alpe
d’Huez the following day,
the Welshman beat all of the
high-mountain specialists
to take an undisputed place
among the world’s best
climbers. What’s more, in
order to maximise his chances
of success, last year’s Tour
champion has chosen to skip
this year’s Giro.
WE AKNESSES As the title-holder, Thomas faces a
daunting challenge – confirmation of his status. Before
last year’s triumph on the Champs-Élysées he had never
previously finished in the final top 10 at a Grand Tour.
Although he has matured and proved himself in the
mountains, up until now he’s never had to deal with the status
of favourite. He can share that pressure with teammate Chris
Froome – as long as cohabitation with the four-time Tour
winner doesn’t develop into an internal power struggle.
GBR, Team Ineos
Tour de France
appearances: 9
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• YUZURU
CHRIS FROOME
STRENGTHS Already