With the second Grand Tour of the year just two weeks (exactly to the day) away, here's my pre-race analysis with the eight riders I expect to be hearing the most from in my 'Dream Squad' & my top picks for the respective jerseys.
As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts on who you think will perform in this year's TdF; so your comments are very welcome below!
The composition of the 'Dream Squad' will be the following;
Marquee A, Marquee B, Sprinter, Time-Trialist, Super Domestique, Domestiques A, B & C
Marquee A - Vincenzo Nibali | Bahrain-Merida
Nibali will be looking to add to his GC victory in 2014 and 5 individual stage wins from 2014 & 2015 in this year's Tour. Having purposefully sat out of the Giro to target another TdF victory, he will no doubt be one of the freshest GC contenders taking to the field. Bahrain-Merida haven't held back with their team selection either, with Domenico Pozzovivo and Ion & Gorka Izzagirre partnering Nibali in their conquest for a GC win.
You can expect to see plenty of stage wins coming from the Bahrain-Merida jerseys, especially with Sonny Colbrelli also taking to the start line. Whether they can also manage to prise the yellow jersey away from the hands of their rivals is a different question, but my favourite for the TdF General Classification this year is Vincenzo Nibali!
Marquee B - Romain Bardet | AG2R La Mondiale
Romain Bardet showed incredible form in both the Strade Bianche and Liège–Bastogne–Liège this year, riding to 2nd and 3rd respectively on the two classics races. The AG2R man was the only of the GC contenders to have such a prominent classics season, and I have to admit I was quite shocked when I saw his name on the results lists.
I have a lot of admiration for the Frenchman, and he definitely hasn't had a very decorated career when it's come to the Grand Tours so far - with three consecutive stage wins in 2015, 2016 & 2017 and a combativity award in 2015. Last year we saw AG2R La Mondiale riding possibly the most exciting tactical display there has been for quite a few cycling seasons, and I'm sure we can expect to see much the same this year.
Sprinter - Dylan Groenewegan | LottoNL-Jumbo
At just 24-years-old, Groenewegan is one of the younger Sprinters listed on the TdF start list and the Dutchman is still developing his form at LottoNL-Jumbo. He had a very successful cycling season last year and even took his first ever Grand Tour stage in last year's Tour. His results this year haven't come close to 2017, but he did sprint to victory at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne ahead of Groupama-FDJ's Arnaud Demare & Bahrain-Merida's Sonny Colbrelli - so he definitely shows promise!
With the pedigree of LottoNL-Jumbo, I think we'll definitely be seeing him add to his current career milestones and I back the promising young talent to finish with the green Points Classification jersey in Paris. Probably quite a bold pick, but I believe he has it in him.
Time-Trialist - Stefan Küng | BMC Racing
Stefan Küng first made himself known to me after last year's ITT and the tour and I was really, really impressed by what I saw from the talented young Swiss rider. Küng has won 6 time-trials over the last two cycling seasons and has major accolades in winning the Swiss National TT last year in 2017, and Gold and Silver respectively in the 2016 & 2017 UCI Road World Championships Team TT's.
With Tom Dumoulin no doubt not going to be as present as he usually would be (following a podium finish at the Giro), I think there will be a big Team Sunweb rider sized gap when it comes to the Time Trials at this year's Tour. Küng is my pick.
Super Domestique - Geraint Thomas | Team Sky
Geraint Thomas has had a really successful run into the Tour de France 2018 with a GC win in the Critérium du Dauphiné and a 2nd-place finish at the Volta ao Algarve, along with 3rd overall at the Tirreno–Adriatico. If Team Sky didn't have the services of Chris Froome to rely on, you'd almost definitely see Geraint Thomas taking over the Marquee-Rider duties and Geraint would certainly slot right into many of the teams at this year's Tour.
A domestique who has the potential (and recent form!) to win Grand Tours is the reason why Geraint Thomas takes the Super Domestique role in my Dream Squad!
Domestique A - Pierre Latour | AG2R La Mondiale
Another promising young French rider that has come through the ranks of the AG2R setup, and a rider who will undoubtedly play a big part in Bardet's GC challenge. Latour recently finished 7th at the Critérium du Dauphiné so he definitely has the skills to battle with the better-known riders. Latour took his first ever Grand Tour stage victory at last year's Vuelta a Espana, and if AG2R are to continue with their exciting, attacking riding at this year's Tour, I can definitely see the Frenchman adding to that tally.
Probably one of the favourites for the Young Rider's Classification as well!
Domestique B - Michal Kwiatkowski | Team Sky
I don't think there'll be many doubters over Kwiatkowski's inclusion in my Dream Squad, and if I was in the shoes of a Grand Tour GC rider, Michal would be the first rider I'd want by my side. Often coming second fiddle to either Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas (etc.) at the major Tours, Kwiatkowski doesn't reap the rewards that his cycling ability deserves.
This year he won both the Tirreno–Adriatico and Volta ao Algarve, so he is definitely in very good shape coming into the Tour de France.
Domestique C - Mikel Landa | Movistar
Mikel Landa really shone as the key mountain domestique to Chris Froome at last year's Tour de France, and we often saw Froome struggling to stick to his wheel with it being clear that Landa was in a much stronger position. Annoyed at his lack of opportunities at Team Sky he has made the move over to Movistar. As far as I am aware he will still be (at least) second fiddle to Nairo Quintana at the Tour, but I'm sure if he is in a better GC position after the first few really challenging stages, we'll see a shift in those roles.
There is, however, a big question mark surrounding his form, hence his inclusion as the Domestique 'C'. We'll have to wait until next fortnight to find out whether he can match his success of last year's Tour.
Classification Winners (Predictions);
General Classification (GC)
Points Classification
King of the Mountains (KOM) Classification
Young Riders Classification
Thanks for reading!