Sky’s Chris Froome Favored for Third Tour de France Win

Sky’s Chris Froome Favored for Third Tour de France Win
Sky's Chris Froome adjusts his cap prior to a training ride two days before the start of the Tour de France cycling race, near Port-en-Bessin-Huppain, France, Thursday, June 30, 2016. AP Photo/Christophe Ena
Chris Jasurek
Updated:

The Tour de France is here again—the most-promoted, most widely known bicycle race on the planet.

Winning the Tour de France is one of the highest achievements a cyclist can aspire to, and certainly the win that brings one the greatest amount of fame and prestige.

This year there are only a few riders with a serious chance at winning the Tour—by analysis. As 2014 showed, anything can happen. That year a long-awaited three-way fight between Alberto Contador, Chris Froome, and Vincenzo Nibali turned into an easy win for Nibali as separate accidents sidelined the other two.

Barring a repeat of such carnage, 2016 again features a three-way fight for the overall, or General Classification victory.

Two-time winner Chris Froome, two-time winner Alberto Contador, and two-time runner-up Nairo Quintana are, by the numbers, the prohibitive favorites for the podium places, with Froome most likely to ascend to the top step.

The Tour de France is composed of 21 separate stages—21 days of racing, with two rest days. Despite all the calculations done ahead of time, it is not until 23 days from now that the real winner of the race will be clear. Still, analysis says what it says—and it seems to say Chris Froome is the favorite.

Chris Froome, second left, rides with his teammates during a training two days before the start of the Tour de France cycling race, near Port-en-Bessin-Huppain, France, Thursday, June 30, 2016. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Chris Froome, second left, rides with his teammates during a training two days before the start of the Tour de France cycling race, near Port-en-Bessin-Huppain, France, Thursday, June 30, 2016. AP Photo/Christophe Ena