Team Sky confirm Tour de France line-up
Sir Dave Brailsford appeared on Sky Sports News to confirm the eight riders who will join Chris Froome at the 2016 Tour de France
Chris Froome will be backed by a strong squad in the Tour de France as he aims to defend the title he won in 2015.
The eight riders who have been selected by Team Sky have all earned their place in the squad through strong results this season and at last year's Tour.
The British team is setting out to gain its fourth overall win in five years.
Plan G
Chief among his domestiques will be Geraint Thomas, who shone at the 2015 Tour but was off the pace at the recent Tour de Suisse. The team have already stated that Thomas will be protected in a way that he wasn't last year.
Wout Poels has been named in the team, which is of little surprise after he too was instrumental in Froome's 2015 victory and also after the Dutchman won Team Sky's first Monument at Liège-Bastogne-Liège earlier this season.
British workhorses
Adding to the British contingent is the ever reliable diesel engine pairing of Ian Stannard and Luke Rowe.
Both riders had a solid Classics season - Stannard's podium at Paris-Roubaix being the highlight - and both are always willing to work for their team leader, often before the television coverage starts.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Altitude assistance
Further assistance for Froome in the mountains will come from Basque riders Mikel Nieve and Mikel Landa, both of whom had already been photographed training with Froome following the Criterium du Dauphiné.
Landa looks set to take up the role of domestique after his outing as team leader in the Giro d'Italia ended with a DNF due to illness.
Sergio Henao will further bolster the climbing ability of the team as it looks to see off the challenge from Nairo Quintana and his Movistar team.
Rainbow stripes
TT world champ Vasil Kiryienka will take his place alongside the others at the Grand Départ on Saturday July 2.
Kiryienka will have the chance to show the rainbow stripes on the two time trial stages and can be relied on to set the pace on flat and mountainous parcours alike.
His strong showing on the Tour de Suisse, where he was strong throughout in his support of Thomas, earned him his place in the team.
It had been expected that Michal Kwiatkowski would feature, but his training has been hindered by laryngitis which ultimately ruled him out of this year's Grand Boucle.
Team Sky squad: 2016 Tour de France
Chris Froome (Gbr)
Geraint Thomas (GBr)
Ian Stannard (GBr)
Luke Rowe (GBr)
Wout Poels (Ned)
Vasil Kiryienka (Blr)
Mikel Landa (Esp)
Mikel Nieve (Esp)
Sergio Henao (Col)
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Jack Elton-Walters hails from the Isle of Wight, and would be quick to tell anyone that it's his favourite place to ride. He has covered a varied range of topics for Cycling Weekly, producing articles focusing on tech, professional racing and cycling culture. He moved on to work for Cyclist Magazine in 2017 where he stayed for four years until going freelance. He now returns to Cycling Weekly from time-to-time to cover racing, review cycling gear and write longer features for print and online.
-
Enough already with the F1-inspired pit stops in gravel races: a call for self-sufficiency
The spirit of adventure, resourcefulness and inclusivity is diluted to the point where we risk losing sight of the qualities that made the discipline so unique.
By Anne-Marije Rook Published
-
Mathieu van der Poel extends with Alpecin-Deceuninck until the end of 2028
Dutchman inks new five-year deal after team's second triumph at Milan-San Remo last weekend with Jasper Philipsen
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'This is so much more than a number': Six of the best Ineos Grenadiers wins as team claims 500th race victory
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot took the 500th team win at the weekend
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Tom Pidcock 'wouldn’t be surprised' to see attacks before the Poggio at Milan-San Remo
British rider will lead the line for Ineos Grenadiers alongside Filippo Ganna
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers delighted with Egan Bernal’s late cameo on stage one of Paris-Nice
Colombian snapped up key bonus seconds in the general classification battle on run in to Les Mureaux
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
‘It doesn’t change anything’ - Tom Pidcock’s coach on Tadej Pogačar at Strade Bianche
Kurt Bogaerts says the pressure is off for Pidcock as he looks to defend the title he emphatically won last year
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'Losing the plot in public - it's mental' - Geraint Thomas on Patrick Lefevere's criticism of Julian Alaphilippe
Ineos Grenadiers rider says he feels sorry for his peers who are criticised in public by the Soudal Quick-Step boss
By Adam Becket Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers say they will work with British Cycling to get Tour of Britain back on ‘as quickly as possible’
Ben Swift and Owain Doull both say it would be a "shame" were the Tour of Britain to be no more
By Adam Becket Published
-
Geraint Thomas to race Giro d’Italia and Tour de France in 2024
Welshman will return to the Giro in May before heading to the French Grand Tour as part of the Ineos Grenadiers squad
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
‘We're now the hunter, not the hunted’ - New Ineos Grenadiers CEO commits to reclaiming top spot amongst WorldTour elite
John Allert outlines team’s targets and ambitions for 2024, including regaining Grand Tour dominance of old
By Tom Thewlis Published