BMC

Until last year, BMC rider

Richie Porte’s career had been marked by a series of capitulations, off days and bad luck in the Grand Tours. Even in 2016, the time he lost in a mechanical on stage 2 cost him a place on the podium. But the important thing was that physically, he was consistent throughout the three weeks, and was even one of the strongest climbers in the mountains. With the confidence of that result behind him, Porte leads the BMC team, who will go to the Tour with no other plan than to support the Australian, who believes he can beat Froome and win the yellow jersey. He’ll be ably supported by the likes of Nicolas Roche, but it’s likely to be a long three weeks if Porte’s challenge falters.

TOUR PALMARÈS

BMC has form in rallying around an Australian GC leader – they won the Tour in 2011 with Cadel Evans. Since then, they’ve had less success with Tejay van Garderen as leader, though the American has twice inished ifth on GC, in 2012 and 2014.