Check out PhysioRoom.coms Top 4 Predictions to the Tour de France. http://www.physioroom.com

1. Tour de France Top Four
Le Tour de France – even the name sounds sexy.
The worlds’ most popular endurance sport regularly amasses global audiences of over 3.5billion in over
180 countries.
Having captured the imagination of the British public, a nation whose football team has once more led
them to nothing more than disappointment, British cycling stars are fast becoming tokens of fancy.
To press matters further, Blighty also had the prestigious accolade of hosting Le Grand Depart, the initial
stages which regularly take place outside of the host nation and for the first time in Le Tour’s history. For
the first time ever a British rider started the tour with the aim of defending his title but as of July 9th, Chris
Froome is officially out.
A mountain of controversy, fuelled at least in part by the media’s renewed interest in the sport, erupted
prior to the Grand Depart on July 5th. From doping scandals to controversial team picks, Le Tour de France
2014 felt right at home in the soap opera loving north as the drama and scandal of the world’s most
prestigious cycling race kicked off in Leeds on July 5th.
To celebrate a sport which we are quite frankly, in love with, PhysioRoom.com is proud to share with you
Le Tour de France Top Four – the riders who we think could snatch the title in Paris.

2. Name: Alberto Contador
Age: 31
Team: Tinkoff-Saxo
Odds: 6/4
Palmarès:
• Giro d’Italia - 2008
• Tour de France - 2007/2009
• Vuelta a Espana - 2008/2012
With Froome now officially out of Le Tour, 31-year old Contador is the bookmaker’s favourite. With a host
of Grand Tour palmarès including two Tour de France victories, two at the Vuelta a Espana and one Giro
d’Italia. Having tested positive for banned substance Clenbutarol in 2010, Contador lost victories in both
Le Tour in 2010 and the Giro in 2011 – a bone of contention amongst cycling fans due to the possibility of
the result stemming from contaminated meat.1 The Spaniard will no doubt be hoping to silence his critics
and claim back what some believe should have rightly been his before. Contador leads a another strong
1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Tour_de_France#Alberto_Contador

3. team which contains Vuelta a Espana 5th place Nicolas Roche of Ireland and three-time World Time-Trial
Champion Michael Rogers of Australia.2
Name: Andrew Talansky
Age: 25
Team: Garmin-Sharp Odds: 33/1
Palmarès:
• Criterium du Dauphine - 2014
• 10th
Tour de France - 2013
• Tour de L’Ain - 2012
With Scottish cyclist David Millar officially ousted in what would be his last Tour,
Garmin-Sharp are aiming for the podium with American Andrew Talansky who
managed to steer his team to a 10th
place in 2013. The young American has already
2
http://www.tinkoffsaxo.com/team/riders/

4. had massive successes in his short career including taking home the Yellow Jersey at
the Criterium du Dauphine in mid-June this year, having snatched the lead from
Alberto Contador in the final stage.
Name: Alejandro Valverde
Age: 34
Team: Movistar Odds: 14/1
Palmarès:
• National TT - 2014
• Vuelta a Espana – 2009
• Vuelta a Andalucia – 2012/2013/2014
Another seemingly controversial decision from Movistar has left young Columbian
soon-to-be-megastar Nairo Quintana from heading up the team, opting for Spanish
veteran Alejandro Valverde in his place. Having served a two year doping ban in
2010, the 34-year old, nicknamed El Bala (the Bullet) leads a predominantly Spanish

5. team including sprint specialist Jose Joaquin Rojas and Tour de Romandie Young
Rider Classification winner Jesus Herrada. With palmarès practically radiating from
his pores, Valverde is definitely one to watch.
Name: Vincenzo Nibali
Age: 29
Team: Astana Odds: 10/1
Palmarès:
• National Road Race – 2014
• Giro d’Italia – 2013
• Vuelta a Espana - 2010
La Squalo (The Shark) is one of the most decorated riders in the peleton this year.
With eight top ten results in the Grand tours over the last five years, the 29-year old
Sicilian will hope to build on his Tour de France success of 2012 where he finished 3rd
behind Wiggins and Froome. The winner of the 2013 Giro has a frankly excellent

6. team at his disposal including veteran rider Alessandro Vanotti and Time Trial
specialist Dmitriy Gruzdev and will hope to utilise his team, which is armed with
riders of all disciplines, to make an attack on the top two this July.
The PhysioRoom.com Top Pick
With the drama at Team Sky overshadowing most of the preliminary races in recent
months, Garmin-Sharp and Tinkoff-Saxo have armed themselves with what could
very well be world beating teams in France. And now Chris Froome is out of the
occasion, the door has been well and truly opened for the PhysioRoom.com Tour de
France Top Four. With a route that has been designed for fast attacks and epic
mountain stages, the winner will be the one who survives not only the climbs of
mainland Europe but those of Blighty also. The hungry youngster Talansky, the
decorated stage winner Nibali, the Grand Tour veteran Valverde and the

7. exceptionally experienced El Pistolero Alberto Contador are set for a thrilling two
and a half weeks of racing.
With his seemingly endless palmarès including victories at all three Grand Tours, two
Tour de France victories, two Vuelta’s and a Giro - our money is on Contador to pip
the win in Paris.