Richie Porte and Geraint Thomas (Team Sky)
Richie Porte and Geraint Thomas (Team Sky)
While defending champion Carlos Betancur (Ag2r-La Mondiale) won’t start this year’s race, Team Sky’s Richie Porte will be present and correct, and keen to repeat that success having been absent last year.
A late injury to Chris Froome forced a reshuffle in the Team Sky pack 12 months ago and saw Porte head to Tirreno-Adriatico, as Geraint Thomas led Sky at Paris-Nice.
This time out, however, the two start as team-mates in a Sky squad not short on depth or quality. Both are in good form, with Porte winning stages at the Tour Down Under and Volta ao Algarve, and Thomas winning a stage and the overall at the latter.
Either could lead Sky’s charge for another overall win, but, given the steep final climb on stage four, Porte is the most likely candidate. Sir Bradley Wiggins, in his last stage race for Team Sky, and new signing Nicolas Roche will be among the support cast.
Both Porte and Thomas are more than capable against the clock and can eke out seconds against their rivals early on. From there, the Croix de Chaubouret will be crucial in determining the success of either rider, but both are capable of making a strong challenge for the podium as part of a two-pronged Team Sky attack.