Ian Stannard (Team Sky)
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British champion Peter Kennaugh, Mark Cavendish and Ian Stannard are three of ten riders set for the Tour de France (pic: Alex Broadway/SWpix.com)
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Chris Froome celebrates his stage seven victory at the Criterium du Dauphine (pic: X.Bourgois/ASO)
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Mark Cavendish will line up for the Tour of Britain, bidding to add to his ten career stage wins (pic: Tim de Waele/EQS)
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Thomas has emerged as a leading contender at the Classics, where cycling's hardmen thrive, and this year won E3 Harelbeke (Pic: Sirotti)
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Alex Dowsett pulled on the national champion's jersey for a record-equalling fourth time (pic: Alex Broadway/SWpix.com)
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Peter Kennaugh attacked late to win stage one of the 2015 Criterium du Dauphine (pic: Sirotti)
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Steve Cummings will focus on the first stage before hunting stage wins later in the Tour (pic: Sirotti)
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Simon Yates finished second on the final day to seal fifth place overall and the white jersey of best young rider at the Dauphine (Pic: X.Bourgois/ASO)
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Adam Yates makes his Tour de France debut and will be on the hunt for stage wins (pic: Sirotti)
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Luke Rowe has earned a Tour de France debut after a string of good performances this year (pic: Sirotti)
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Ian Stannard won the 2015 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (Pic: Sirotti)
Ian Stannard (Team Sky)
Ian Stannard made his Tour de France debut in support of Chris Froome in 2013 and has come back strong after injury wrecked his 2014 season.
The Essex rider, 28, was fourth at the Tour of Qatar, won the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad for a second time and was third at the British national championships.
In between, he rode for Chris Froome at the Tour de Romandie and Criterium du Dauphine and will be the man charged with keeping breakaway in check at the Tour de France.
Stannard’s engine was hugely important to the Team Sky cause in 2013, and he would surely have ridden last year too were it not for his broken back.
Stannard will also offer valuable support on the cobbles and the flatter stages.
Ian Stannard at the Tour de France
2015 highlights: Tour of Qatar (fourth overall), Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (winner), British National Road Race (third).
Tour de France participations: one (2013)
Best result: 135th (2013)
Stage wins: none
What to expect: Lots of big turns on the front of the bunch, driving the pace and protecting Froome. Stannard is likely to play an important roles on the cobbles too but with Froome to protect is unlikely to get a chance to bid for stage success on a terrain he has forged a reputation on.