Climber Yates has high hopes at Tour

BURY’S Adam Yates will be flying the flag for local riders when the Tour de France gets underway tomorrow.

The 25-year-old rides for Aussie outfit Michelton-Scott and will be hoping to emulate the achievements of twin brother Simon who led the Giro d’Italia for 13 days in May before fading away.

Yates has been in fine form this season after an early injury, finishing fourth at the Tour of California and second behind Geraint Thomas at the Criterium de Dauphine. He will be ably supported by a team of climbers assembled by Mitchelton-Scott but Simon will not be one of them.

BMC’s Richie Porte meanwhile is hoping Chris Froome is too tired to retain his Tour de France title.

Froome is targeting a recordequalling fifth Tour title this month, but to get it he will need to complete a rare Giro d’Italia-Tour double and make it four Grand Tour wins in a row having also won La Vuelta last year.

Porte helped Froome to Tour victories in 2013 and 2015 before leaving Team Sky to join BMC in pursuit of his own Grand Tour ambitions, but is yet to better his old friend and is looking for a helping hand in France.

“It was nice to watch him in the Giro, and I hope he’s b ******* ” the Tasmanian said with a smile.

“I hope that he is tired. Guys like Vincenzo (Nibali) and Nairo (Quintana) are never going to give him an easy day. A lot can happen out on the road and if he does have a bad day quite a few guys are ready to end his winning streak.”