British time trial champion Alex Dowsett has had quite a year, bouncing back from a training crash in February, which ended his initial Hour Record hopes, in fine style.

The Essex-born rider, 26, recovered well to smash the UCI Hour Record after re-scheduling his attempt and then took his fine form onto the road, winning his first ever stage race at Bayern-Rundfahrt and then bagging a record-equalling fourth national TT jersey.

A Tour de France debutant, Dowsett has earned the trust of his Movistar team thanks to his huge engine and willingness to ride on the front.

A time trial specialist and rouleur with an eye for the break, he will have to sacrifice personal ambition to support Nairo Quintana and Alejandro Valverde at the Tour.

But with the chance to show off his British national time trial champion’s skinsuit on the first stage, he and team-mate Adriano Malori are likely to be among the contenders for the prologue if they are given the team’s backing to go deep on the short time trial course.

A second Grand Tour stage win, having won a stage at his debut Giro d’Italia may be too much to ask but it is not beyond Dowsett – and if not, he will form a hugely important part of the Movistar team on the flatter stages anyway.

Alex Dowsett at the Tour de France

2015 highlights: UCI Hour Record holder (52.937km, stood from May 2 2015-June 7 2015), Bayern-Rundfahrt (stage win, overall winner), British National Time Trial Championships (winner).

Tour de France participations: none
Best overall finish: n/a
Stage wins: n/a

What to expect: Dowsett will start the race in the British national time trial champion’s jersey on the short Utrecht course, but from then on his job is to keep Quintana and Valverde safe and well-positioned on the flat stages. A huge engine, expect to see him on the front of the bunch at regular intervals. And, if it all goes wrong for Movistar’s leaders, Dowsett is no stranger to breakaway either.