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Chris Froome says "I’m ready" as Sky names Tour de France team including Peter Kennaugh

"Last year’s disappointment is this year’s motivation," says 2013 winner...

Team Sky has announced its squad for the 102nd Tour de France, which starts in Utrecht on Saturday July 4 and finishes in Paris on Sunday July 26.

Team Sky’s leader Chris Froome is one of five British riders in the nine-man team, which also includes: Richie Porte, Geraint Thomas, Peter Kennaugh, Ian Stannard, Luke Rowe, Nicolas Roche, Leopold König and Wout Poels.

Team Sky’s race leader Chris Froome said: "Last year’s disappointment is this year’s motivation for Team Sky. From the moment I crashed out in 2014 I’ve had the burning desire to get back to this year’s Tour in the best possible shape.

"I’m ready and I’m fortunate to have a strong team around me selected to meet the many different challenges of this year’s race – from the cobbles to the climbs.

"There’s a great spirit in the group and we’re ready to give our best for every kilometre of every day over the three weeks of the Tour.

"We’re counting down the days. We can’t wait to get started and we are up for the challenge ahead."

Speaking about the Tour de France line-up team principal Dave Brailsford said: "The Tour is shaping up to be one of the most exciting in years and we’ve chosen a team of talented riders for the race.

"We've studied this year’s route carefully and have selected the riders who we believe will best deliver our race strategy. Inevitably it is always a difficult decision. We're all looking forward to a great race and we have a strong team – led by Chris Froome – that’s hungry for success.

"I’m confident that Team Sky will be competitive but of course we can take nothing for granted. One thing we can say for certain is that it’s going to be a great contest and a great three weeks of racing for the fans. That is fantastic for the sport of cycling."

The Team Sky squad for the 2015 Tour de France

Chris Froome, 30, Great Britain

The 2013 race winner will lead Team Sky’s challenge over the three weeks as he bids to recapture his Tour crown. After putting a crash in last year's event behind him, Froome will look to continue his momentum following an impressive recent win at the Criterium du Dauphine. A gifted climber and powerful time trialist, he has all the skills to win the world's biggest bike race.

Richie Porte, 30, Australia

One of the finest and most feared climbers in the peloton, the Tasmanian began the year in scintillating form, winning Paris-Nice, Volta a Catalunya and the Giro del Trentino back to back. Disappointment followed in May at the Giro d’Italia, as he was forced to withdraw from the race due to injury. Now back to full fitness Porte will be raring to go heading into his fifth Tour de France.

Geraint Thomas, 29, Great Britain

Following the best start to a season of his career to date, Thomas lines up for his sixth Tour de France full of confidence. Whether claiming wins in tough Belgian one-day classics like E3 Harelbeke or climbing at the sharp end of mountainous stage races, 'G' can do it all. With overall victory at the Volta ao Algarve and second place at the Tour de Suisse his all-round credentials are unquestioned.

Peter Kennaugh, 26, Great Britain

Hailing from the Isle of Man, Kennaugh lines up for his second Tour de France appearance off the back of another strong season. After 12 eye-catching months in the British national champion’s jersey, which he successfully defended in Lincoln yesterday, Peter has various other victories on his palmares, and earned himself a stint in the leader's jersey at this year's Criterium du Dauphine.

Ian Stannard, 28, Great Britain

Few riders possess the combination of horsepower and heart that characterise Ian Stannard. The Brit is a huge asset on the flat but is comfortable setting a fierce pace on the climbs. With a second victory at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad already in his pocket this season, Stannard will be hoping to repeat his Tour outing from 2013 where he helped Froome to victory.

Luke Rowe, 25, Great Britain

After coming through the ranks as part of British Cycling’s Academy the talented Welshman has spent all of his four pro seasons with Team Sky. In that time he has developed into one of the finest and most respected young riders in the sport, and is rewarded with his Tour debut. This year Rowe has taken a top 10 at Paris-Roubaix and contributed to wins at both Paris-Nice and the Dauphine.

Nicolas Roche, 30, Ireland

Strong, accomplished and experienced at the highest level, Roche has been part of a number of high-profile victories since joining Team Sky this season. Comfortable setting tempo on the climbs, the Irishman finished fifth in his own right at the Vuelta a Espana in 2013. Roche has 13 Grand Tours starts to his name and has completed each one, including the last six editions of the Tour de France.

Leopold König, 27, Czech Republic

The Czech climbing star rode to a superb seventh place overall in the 2014 edition of the Tour as he made his debut in the event. He improved on that Grand Tour milestone in Team Sky colours this year with sixth place at the Giro d’Italia. Now rested ahead of the race start, König will significantly add to the team’s firepower in the mountains.

Wout Poels, 27, Holland

The Dutchman has impressed greatly since joining the team at the start of 2015. Elite climbing prowess makes him invaluable in the high mountains, yet Poels has also shown he is capable of winning in his own right after a classy stage victory at Tirreno-Adriatico in March. After returning from shoulder surgery Poels was a key part of the team's Dauphine success.

John has been writing about bikes and cycling for over 30 years since discovering that people were mug enough to pay him for it rather than expecting him to do an honest day's work.

He was heavily involved in the mountain bike boom of the late 1980s as a racer, team manager and race promoter, and that led to writing for Mountain Biking UK magazine shortly after its inception. He got the gig by phoning up the editor and telling him the magazine was rubbish and he could do better. Rather than telling him to get lost, MBUK editor Tym Manley called John’s bluff and the rest is history.

Since then he has worked on MTB Pro magazine and was editor of Maximum Mountain Bike and Australian Mountain Bike magazines, before switching to the web in 2000 to work for CyclingNews.com. Along with road.cc founder Tony Farrelly, John was on the launch team for BikeRadar.com and subsequently became editor in chief of Future Publishing’s group of cycling magazines and websites, including Cycling Plus, MBUK, What Mountain Bike and Procycling.

John has also written for Cyclist magazine, edited the BikeMagic website and was founding editor of TotalWomensCycling.com before handing over to someone far more representative of the site's main audience.

He joined road.cc in 2013. He lives in Cambridge where the lack of hills is more than made up for by the headwinds.

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10 comments

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Stumps | 8 years ago
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I'm also surprised about Roche but time will tell. Otherwise its a cracking team.

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Leviathan | 8 years ago
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Ohh, I am kind of disappointed DaddyElvis hasn't said anything yet. Surely it would be IMMMpossible to win with such a Britocentric team. Well plenty of time for flame wars and hyperbole later.

Two hours to ride after work. ITV4 Dozing off to the sound of Gary and Chris and waking up to watch the sprint at 7:55. Then switching over to Wimbledon Today. Ahh summer nights

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bikeandy61 | 8 years ago
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Fingers crossed.

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sanderville | 8 years ago
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No Kiryienka? He must be ill.

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ninj4fly | 8 years ago
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Typical Sky. I think they will regret missing Eisel and Kiryienka (the latter is a monster both on the flats and climbs and obviously on form winning the TT in Baku). I do not see who can be the road captain, the one with experience. Anyway, the Tour is for someone that have never won it.

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RTB replied to ninj4fly | 8 years ago
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ninj4fly wrote:

Typical Sky. I think they will regret missing Eisel and Kiryienka (the latter is a monster both on the flats and climbs and obviously on form winning the TT in Baku). I do not see who can be the road captain, the one with experience. Anyway, the Tour is for someone that have never won it.

Eisel is just a replica of what Stannard would do and Stannard is in there (in part) for the cobbles (along with G). Kiryienka is a small surprise but he has had off days and got eliminated early on time in 2013. Road captain? G I would say as he has the nouse and record on all terrains.

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MattCartwright | 8 years ago
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Surprised not to see any of the Spanish guys make it. Roche has not looked so great, but Poels has been fantastic at times this year. Very strong team.

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backflipbedlem | 8 years ago
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glad Pete & Luke made the team!!

Go Froooomee!!!!!!

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Danger Dicko | 8 years ago
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Sky Train in the mountains.

Watch out Astana and Tinkoff.

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ct | 8 years ago
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Lovely

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