The full composition of both teams for the Tour remains to be seen, with suggestions there are still places available in both.
What is for certain though, is both Froome and Contador will boast the support of their leading domestiques.
For Froome, Richie Porte’s illnesses earlier in the season have actually played into his hands, and his wing man will race at the Tour, untarnished by a brutal three weeks in the Giro which it had originally seemed would happen.
The two have posted photos on Twitter of their training camps and spirits certainly seem high.
Joining them will be Sir Bradley Wiggins, if his post-Tour of California comments are anything to go by.
Wiggins is in great form, and – as we have speculated before – has the experience and know-how to be a very effective road captain.
He would also be one of the favourites for the stage 20 time trial, meaning Sky could quite plausibly launch a two, or even three-pronged GC attack.
For Tinkoff-Saxo, Contador will be joined by in-form super-domestique Roman Kreuziger.
The Czech ace has performed some incredible shifts for Contador so far this season – on more than one occasion, it has been Kreuziger who has attacked, prompting responses from the team’s rivals and allowing Contador to strike when their energy is down.
The return of Michael Rogers is also a huge boost to Tinkoff-Saxo – a vital part of Wiggins’ 2012-winning Sky team, the Australian placed 16th overall last year as the team – despite missing out on a podium spot for Contador – claimed the team prize.
Questions over whether or not he has the legs were allayed with his stage 11 victory at the Giro – his provisional suspension, clearly, could not have ended at a better time in terms of preparing him for the Tour.
With the Dolomites awaiting, Rogers will be able to re-find his climbing legs too – which means as support teams go, Sky and Tinkoff-Saxo will boast two of the most illustrious in the bunch.
The two leaders will go head-to-head at next month’s Criterium du Dauphine, but the line-ups for both teams will be equally intriguing. We’ll have full coverage on RoadCyclingUK, including daily reports, galleries, and analysis, pro bike features, and ‘ride the route’ feature of the final stage from Megeve to Courchevel.
