Team Sky have annouced five British riders in their 2015 Tour de France squad, with Irishman Nicolas Roche named in the squad having not been on the ‘leaked’ longlist released last week.
Chris Froome is among the big four contenders for the overall title, alongside defending champion Vincenzo Nibali, Giro d’Italia winner Alberto Contador and Nairo Quintana.
The 2013 Tour winner will have a great deal of help in the mountains, with plenty on domestiques on hand to guide him up the climbs.
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Geraint Thomas, Ian Stannard, Peter Kennaugh and Luke Rowe are the other Brits in the squad, with Stannard and Kennaugh coming off a strong National Championships in Lincoln.
Leopold Konig and Richie Porte are set to start their second Grand Tour of the season, having competed in the Giro d’Italia in May.
Roche was left off the 11-man list accidentally published on the Team Sky website last week, but makes it into the Tour squad to support Froome over the course of the three weeks.
Team Sky squad for the Tour de France
Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas, Richie Porte, Peter Kennaugh, Ian Stannard, Luke Rowe, Leopold Konig, Nicolas Roche, Wout Poels
The Cycling Weekly panel discuss the contenders for the 2015 Tour de France
