Tour de France 2015 preview: Entertainers and animators

The three Grand Tours are without doubt the hardest bike races in the world. What makes the Tour de France just that little bit more special than the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a Espana is that everyone is there to do something special.

Whether it be win overall or stages, create attacks, go chasing the King of the Mountains jersey, get team sponsorship for the next season, or from an individual perspective lock down a contract, everyone comes to the Tour with a purpose.

The main battles are fought out in the high mountains of the Alps and the Pyrenees, but a race of this stature would not be complete without riders who aren’t afraid to go on the attack or chase the King of the Mountains jersey in the flatter stages.

In this preview we take a look at riders likely to animate the 2015 Tour de France. The ones that you can’t help but like as they liven up your late nights watching SBS with pure, attacking cycling, with little regard for what is to come later in the Tour.

Thomas Voeckler (Europcar)
Ah Thomas Voeckler. The man who has worn yellow, polka dots and green every other day in his Europcar colours. One of the most determined riders in the peloton, he almost somehow snatched the race victory a couple of years ago.

While he is on his bike and riding at the Tour, you can be sure he will attack and go for an early jersey in the race, then doggedly try and hold it all the way to Paris. An incredible rider to watch.

Pierre Roland (Europcar)
Pierre Roland burst onto the scene a couple of years ago with a famous mountaintop victory on the Alpe d’Huez. Since then he has attacked, attacked again and finished in the Tour’s top 10 on general classification a couple of times.

While he will also appear on a list of outsiders for the Tour, there is no question the way he will get there is through a series of attacks.

Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing)
Van Avermaet had a really good spring classics season this year, and while he could well try to take out the green jersey, his true calling will be as one of the entertainers on the many punchy stages in this year’s Tour.

I expect him to win a stage or two and have everyone watching, shouting his name as he attacks and holds off the peloton in a solo effort on the Mur de Huy stage.

Brice Feillu (Bretagne-Seche Environnement)
Remember Feillu winning a mountaintop finish in the Tour a couple of years ago after a long range attack, and then holding onto the yellow jersey for about a week? It was a gutsy display and over those days he showed his caginess in the mountains.

While we haven’t seen a lot from him since, he has the potential to light up the Tour.

Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida)
Like Rolland, Rui Costa could appear on a list of outside contenders for the 2015 Tour, however he will undoubtedly attack and try and spark a reaction. He is not the best rider in the mountains by a long shot and will rely on attacks to move his way up the GC.

Sylvain Chavanel (IAM Cycling)
Chavanel and the Tour de France go hand in hand. During the Tour Chavanel will make a play – whether for a stage win, a brief stint in the yellow jersey as he has done before, or going for the polka dots, he will attack before the Tour is over.

Tony Gallopin (Lotto-Soudal)
Gallopin spent a brief amount of time in the yellow jersey last year after a great attack on Stage 9. He also attacked downhill to win Stage 11. If you watched the Dauphine recently you would have seen him attacking to try and take stages.

Gallopin is an aggressive rider and will light up the Tour at some point.

Adam Hansen (Lotto-Soudal)
Hansen is lining up for his 12th Grand Tour in a row, and will do a bit of everything. From leading out Andre Greipel, to riding on the front of the peloton and supporting the likes of Tim Wellens, Gallopin and Lars Bak on specific days, he is one of the true figures of the peloton.

It is almost guaranteed he will be given a chance to attack on his own one day too. He has won stages before and could do the same again.

Daniel Teklehaimanot (MTN-Qhubeka)
The good news is that after the Dauphine I have learnt how to spell Teklehaimanot’s last name. He was always on the attack and as a result took out the King of the Mountains jersey.

Now given his chance in the Tour, he will be keen to impress so watch for a number of attacks from him and his MTN teammates.

Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEDGE)
Gerrans has worn yellow at the Tour and there is every chance he could again on the stage to Mur du Huy. He will attack at various points throughout the Tour and just generally be at the front everywhere bar the high mountains.

Daniel Martin (Cannondale-Garmin)
Based on past experiences, Martin will either be at the top end of the GC, or lose a lot of time and attack the hell out of everyone.

Steven Kruijswijk (Lotto-NLJumbo)
Kruijswijk could be on an outsiders list for the Tour, however he just rode a punishing Giro d’Italia, which has put him on this list. He attacks and attacks and then just for good measure attacks some more. With a top 10 finish and the King of the Mountains jersey at the Giro he will be looking for more at the Tour.

There is a list of those I expect to heavily feature in breakaways and go on the attack. They will be the entertainers of the race, and I expect someone from this group to win the King of the Mountains jersey.

However the prized jerseys, yellow and green, aren’t likely to come from this group of riders.

Tomorrow we check out the key sprint contenders at the 2015 Tour de France.