The 4 riders who have a legit shot at winning the Tour de France

Business Insider ^ | 6/26 | Daniel McMahon

[Baynative]

On Saturday, 198 of the world's best cyclists will start the Tour de France. Only four have a realistic shot at winning.

That's according to the highest-ranked American bike racer at the Tour, Andrew Talansky, in a recent interview with Business Insider.

[Baynative]

Of the four riders Talansky mentioned, three have already won multiple grand tours.

Here's a quick look at where those four men stand heading into Saturday's start in Düsseldorf.

[jimtorr]

Is there a ping list for this years tour?

[Baynative]

Bike Ping

[IrishBrigade]

I think we can forget Contador; anything he can do, Quintana can do better...between Froome and Porte, I’d take Porte; I say he wins it all...

[Baynative]

Yep and now you're on it. Welcome to the peloton.

[IrishBrigade]

Welcome to the peloton.

it would scare the crap out of me to try and ride in the peloton...

[Baynative]

Porte has been in top form throughout June. If he didn’t peak too early, he could definitely be the man. I think he has a good shot last year but stuck to his role as a support player knowing his time was coming.

[jimtorr]

Thanks, Baynative. Should be a fun Tour. Maybe Froomie won’t dominate this year.

[IrishBrigade]

Porte has been in top form throughout June.

indeed; it’s his time, assuming he stays healthy...last year, he was dogged by bad luck; he lost two minutes to a flat tire, and he crashed into a stopped car (Froome did as well)...he won the Tour down Under this year, finished second the in the Criterium, he’s on a roll...

[IrishBrigade]

and oh yeah...go Talansky; take a stage win...

[Noumenon]

Please add me to the ping list. This old masters class amateur still has fond memories...

[Baynative]

"...it would scare the crap out of me to try and ride in the peloton"

It's not as hectic as it looks. Most of the time it's a lot like dancing, everyone tends to keep their lines and move with one another. But it's much different story in the last 200 yards where fighting for lanes combined with lead out men trying to get out of the way as their sprinters go for the line leads to pure chaos.

[Paradox]

I used to follow this religiously, I fondly remember what Lemond did to win it all at the final TT. Just can't get into it since the Lance scandal thing. I have never been naive about the sport, knowing a thing or two about competitive cycling, but seem to have soured about the Tour.

Perhaps I'll give it a try this season again.

[Baynative]

Grab a wheel and join the fun. We have a bunch of former amateur competitions joining in during the tour. I pounded out a lot of “masters miles” for years on the west coast. -—Living the leisure life in the Idaho Redoubt, now.

[ETL]

[Road Warrior ‘04]

Is Lance Armstrong riding this year? :)

[Noumenon]

Raced with the old California Pedaler out of Pleasanton, Ca back in the day. Rode a silver-brazed Columbus tubed Bottecchia for crits (all you had to do was think about turning and you were there), and a Roland Della Santa for road races. Fun times. Been in North Idaho for 17 years.

[Yogafist]

Dang. That’s better than NASCAR. :)

[Paal Gulli]

Like every Tour de Pharmacy from 1981 onward, it will be won by whichever rider dopes best without getting caught or killing himself in the process.

[Baynative]

Lance was a high and a low, no doubt. But the last few tours have been absolutely superb. If you haven't been around for a few years you have missed the emergence of some real super stars. Chris Froome, Marc Cavendish, Richie Porte, Roberto Contador Nairo Quintana, to name a few and then there is full tilt rock star: