Chris Froome said his biggest rival this July will not be Nairo Quintana, but riders coming fresh into the Tour de France.
The three-time Tour champion spoke with Reuters and said he expects stronger challenges from riders who did not race the Giro d’Italia.
“My biggest threats come from guys who did not do the Giro — Richie Porte, Alberto Contador, and Romain Bardet,” Froome (Sky) told Reuters’ Julien Pretot. “I think it is going to be tough for Nairo to do the Giro and the Tour.”
Winless so far in the 2017 season, Froome returns to racing this weekend at the Critérium du Dauphiné as defending champion. After a busy 2016 campaign, which included a third Tour de France victory, second at the Vuelta a España for a third time, and the Olympics, Froome is taking a lower profile route into the Tour this year.
Movistar’s Quintana, meanwhile, rode to second behind Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) at the Giro d’Italia, and will take a break until he returns to France for the second leg of the Giro-Tour double. Froome said he’s not looking past Quintana, who’s been on the Tour podium three times.
“He may then be doing better on the Tour,” Froome said of Quintana. “Because he is a rider who is better in the second grand tour than the first grand tour.”
Froome will be looking to defend his Dauphiné crown and remind the peloton he’s ready to challenge for what would be his fourth Tour victory in five years. The 32-year-old tipped BMC’s Porte, who rode for Sky for four seasons, as potentially his most dangerous rival in July.
“Riche has been amazing this season,” Froome said “I think this year’s Tour suits Richie really well. He’s definitely got a chance to be up there for the win. This season he has been showing what he is capable of. I always believe in Richie.”
Froome also hinted that he will race the Vuelta after the Tour, but said a Spanish start is “not confirmed.”
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