Saturday 2 July 2016 17:08, UK
Check out our comprehensive guide to the biggest race in cycling and the fight for the yellow jersey.
The biggest bike race on the planet, the Tour de France (2-24 July), starts on Saturday and it will once again test the world's best cyclists to their limits as millions of fans tune in for three weeks of dramatic action.
The course for the 103rd edition looks to be as gruelling and unpredictable as ever as Team Sky hunt for a fourth win in seven years.
Defending champion Chris Froome leads one of our strongest ever Tour de France squads as he goes in search of his third maillot jaune.
The 31 year old will arrive at the Tour on the back of winning the Criterium du Dauphine in June - his first overall win on European soil this season.
And as well as being in fine form himself, Froome will be supported by a wealth of super domestiques who are all looking strong. Geraint Thomas, Mikel Landa, Mikel Nieve, Wout Poels and Sergio Henao will provide unparalleled muscle in the mountains, while Vasil Kiryienka, Ian Stannard and Luke Rowe will come to the fore on the race's more rolling days.
Thomas, Landa and Poels have enjoyed stage race successes of their own this season, at Paris-Nice, the Giro del Trentino and the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana respectively, while Mikel Nieve secured the King of the Mountains jersey at the Giro d'Italia with a string of fine performances.
Kiryienka excelled in support of Thomas at the recent Tour de Suisse, producing powerhouse displays on the race's tougher days, and as the reigning world time trial champion he'll also have his eye on the Tour's two individual TTs.
Road captain Rowe has enjoyed another season of progression and put in strong displays across the Classics campaign, as did the experienced Stannard, who earned a famous third place finish at Paris-Roubaix. The duo will work together to keep Froome safe and out of the wind on the flatter days in France.
There's no opening prologue, no cobbles, and two hilly time trials - make no mistake, the 2016 Tour is one for the climbers.
There is to be no foreign Grand Depart in 2016 either, with the race starting in Mont Saint-Michel, but the route will wind its way through Spain, Andorra and Switzerland across the three weeks, while of course visiting the Pyrenees and the Alps.
Fittingly, the legendary Mont Ventoux will host the race on Bastille Day and it is back for the first time since Froome won atop the fearsome ascent in 2013, while the two time trials take place on stages 13 and 18.
Froome solidified his hold on the yellow jersey in 2013 with a stunning win on Mont Ventoux and he'll have the opportunity to repeat that feat this time around. It comes three stages earlier in 2016, on stage 12, and it could well be the first time we see big time gaps open on the general classification.
The stage 13 time trial is the longest of the two tests against the clock and comes the day after the ascent of Mont Ventoux. Any gaps opened up on the GC could be widened after the 37.5km hilly challenge in the Ardeche region.
The yellow jersey will be sealed on the final mountainous day of the Tour on stage 20, which culminates in a sure to be hair-raising descent to the line in Morzine. With four categorised climbs, including a final hors categorie run towards the finish, there's every chance that the jersey could change hands before stage 21 in Paris.
A mouthwatering array of talent is descending on the Tour and a lot of the big contenders decided to skip the Giro d'Italia this year to stay fresh for the battle in France.
Following his strong second place in 2015, when he finished just over one minute back on Froome, Nairo Quintana (Movistar) looks likely to put up another strong fight for the yellow jersey in 2016. The Colombian has enjoyed several successes this season, winning the Volta a Catalunya, Tour de Romandie and, most recently, the Route du Sud, suggesting the 26 year old is in better than shape than ever.
Two-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador is chasing his third title and he'll be supported by a strong Tinkoff team, including world champion Peter Sagan. Richie Porte, who was a crucial part of Froome's win last year, will lead his new team BMC alongside Tejay van Garderen, and the duo are likely to be in the mix having produced strong performances at the recent Criterium du Dauphine and Tour de Suisse respectively.
Fabio Aru and 2016 Giro d'Italia winner Vincenzo Nibali will spearhead Astana's challenge, with the former set to lead the team, while the French charge will be led by Thibaut Pinot (FDJ), Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale) and Warren Barguil (Giant-Alpecin).
Sagan is the clear favourite for the points jersey but he will have to do battle with Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data), Marcel Kittel (Etixx - Quick-Step) and Andre Greipel (Lotto Soudal) for the sprinter-friendly stages.
The team's stated aim back in 2010 was to win the Tour de France with a clean British rider inside five years and just three years on Sir Bradley Wiggins claimed the yellow jersey in Paris after a dominant three-week display.
Not only did Wiggins wrap up the title but Chris Froome finished second to make it a historic one-two, while Mark Cavendish sprinted to three stage wins, capping an amazing three weeks for the team.
A year later in 2013 Froome retained the team's title with a supreme performance, beating Quintana by more than four minutes, before winning his title back last year after crashing out in 2014.
Froome's solitary stage win in 2015 was our eleventh, our first coming in 2011 when Edvald Boasson Hagen produced a stunning burst of pace to win stage six into Lisieux.
ITV4 and Eurosport will have live coverage of every stage of the Tour de France, as well as highlights in the evening.
