Tour de France 2015 Preview – Tips, Contenders, Profile

Tour de France Parcours

Tour de France Contenders

This year we have the ‘Big Four’ who are all looking to win the Tour de France’s yellow jersey. Three of them have won before with only Nairo Quintana still to win. Vincenzo Nibali is last year’s winner but questions exist after his poor showing in the recent Criterium du Dauphine. Alberto Contador won this year’s Giro d’Italia and is looking to achieve the double victory, a feat not achieved since Marco Pantani in 1998. 2013 winner Chris Froome is the bookies favourite and will have to find a different way to win with significantly less time trialling in this year’s route.

Peter Sagan is the perennial favourite, being able to finish highly in many different types of stages. Alexander Kristoff is another capable of finishing well on those stages that finish with an uphill. Mark Cavendish is hoping to avoid a repeat of his 2014 Tour, however a lack of classic flat sprinter stages may harm any Green jersey ambitions. With the absence of Marcel Kittle, the Giant-Alpecin team are fully behind John Degenkolb, looking for a maiden Tour de France stage win. Andre Greipel has won a stage in each Tour de France that he’s competed in and always loves beating his old teammate Cavendish. French hopes lie with the pairing of Nacer Bouhanni and Arnaud DeMare. Once rivals at FDJ, the move of Bohanni to Cofidis allows the rivalry to take place together on the road.

The hardest jersey to predict as it often becomes a target once GC riders have fallen out of contention. The bookies have the GC favourites as the main contenders with Nairo Quintana favourite. The first week normally sees Nicolas Edet claim the jersey after a series of breakaways. After the Dauphine, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see MTN’s Daniel Teklehaimanot make a charge for the jersey either. Personally I can see Joaquim Rodriguez losing time on the Prologue, then some more in the crosswinds and then struggle on the cobbles stage too. With all this in mind, he may end up ideally placed for an attempt on the Polka Dots.

Tour de France Outsiders

Big things are expected of Brit Simon Yates, who I think is capable of at least a top ten overall position.
Tony Gallopin seems a cert for a stage win at some point in the Tour.
MTN’s Louis Meintjes is capable of a possible KoM attempt or finishing very high on some mountain stages. A 3rd place on the road to Mont Blanc recently shows his form.
Bora-Argon 18’s sprinter Sam Bennett has been tipped to finish highly, with 3 victories this year he certainly stands a good chance.
Early on in the season Eduardo Sepulveda finished 4th, just 30 seconds behind Nairo Quintana, in the Tour de San Luis. Capable of climbing, he will be Bretagne-Seche Environment’s main leader.