With a four-way battle for supremacy, and a host of other riders bidding for a place on the podium, it is difficult to pick one candidate from the bunch.

But to LeMond’s eye, one man stands – though perhaps not literally – head and shoulders above the others.

“I think Nairo Quintana will win,” he admitted. “Everyone is focussed on Chris Froome and Alberto Contador but, for me, the best team in the Tour is Movistar.

“I think Quintana and Valverde will play off each other and the biggest talent I’ve seen for many, many years is Quintana – by far. But it’s easy to predict. The reality is you can’t tell – one bad day at the Tour and you are out of the race.

“What I think will be exciting though, is the aggressiveness of the race. A lot of Tours are a race between two people, but this is one where you will have several. People are going to see a great Tour.”