Porto Vecchio, France – Rivals are lining up to target Team Sky's hopes of consecutive Tour de France victories when the 100th edition of the world's most famous cycle race gets under way in Corsica on Saturday.
The 2012 success was built on Bradley Wiggins's domination of the time trials and Team Sky's conservative tactics in the mountains which led to Wiggins becoming the first Briton to win the Tour.
This year, with Wiggins out through illness, Team Sky is led by Chris Froome, last year's runner-up, who is in “the absolute ideal place”, said team principal Dave Brailsford.
Froome has won four of the five stage races he entered this season as Team Sky set a blistering pace in the mountains.
But last year's beleaguered rivals are geared up for a fierce challenge in a race that this year will feature an unprecedented double ascent of the 21 hairpins to l'Alpe d'Huez.
The presence of Spanish climbers Joaquim Rodriguez and Alberto Contador will definitely spice up the action, as will as Garmin-Sharp's plan to “cause chaos” in the three-week race.
Garmin-Sharp manager Jonathan Vaughters told reporters: “(Team effort) is our strength and we're going in with the same open strategy. We don't have one superstar but we have a bonded group of guys who together can create chaos in the race and create a situation where (we) can perform way above what anyone's expectations of us are.”
With 2012 Giro d'Italia champion Ryder Hesjedal of Canada, Liege-Bastogne-Liege winner Dan Martin of Ireland and American hope Andrew Talansky, the U.S. team are a formidable outfit.
Contador's Team Saxo-Tinkoff have Czech Roman Kreuziger, Irishman Nicolas Roche and Australian Michael Rogers in the team as well as road manager Bjarne Riis, who was lured from Team Sky this season.
Movistar could also be a factor as Spain's Alejandro Valverde, Portugal's Rui Costa and Colombian Nairo Quintana can all do well in the general classification.
“There will be more action this year,” double champion Contador, back after a one-year absence due to a doping ban, told reporters.
“There will be more movement than the previous year.”
Spaniard Contador, who won the Tour in 2007 and 2009, was beaten by Froome every time they crossed swords this season but both know that counts for nothing when the 198 riders line up at the start.
“Once we line up...every other race this season folds away,” said Froome, who is hoping to win the first race since seven-times winner Lance Armstrong admitted to doping his way to victory.
Armstrong, stripped of his Tour titles, told Le Monde newspaper on Friday that winning the Tour in his era without doping was impossible. – Reuters