Chris Froome's path to the 2013 Tour de France

Chris Froome wins stage four, Tirreno-Adriatico 2013

Chris Froome and Team Sky are stronger this year ahead of the Tour de France, according to head coach Tim Kerrison. Froome is competitive enough, both on and off the bike, to win - and in the worst case scenario, he has a back-up option.

"The wins leading up to the Tour were important to develop him," Kerrison said on Tuesday, "but also to build the confidence of the guys around him, in Chris's ability to perform, and the staff's confidence."

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Gregor Brown

Gregor Brown is an experienced cycling journalist, based in Florence, Italy. He has covered races all over the world for over a decade - following the Giro, Tour de France, and every major race since 2006. His love of cycling began with freestyle and BMX, before the 1998 Tour de France led him to a deep appreciation of the road racing season.