Four Britons to ride in 2014 Tour de France
CHRIS FROOME
Age: 29
Team: Team Sky
Previous Appearances (finishes in brackets): 2008 (84th), 2012 (2nd), 2013 (1st).
Stage wins: Four (2012 - stage seven; 2013 - stages eight, 15 and 17).
Unstoppable in 2013 after a brilliant performance which he promised would "stand the test of time". Froome is the undisputed leader of Team Sky, with 2012 Tour winner Sir Bradley Wiggins conceding the role, but has had a less than flawless season. He won the Tour of Oman, but has been afflicted by illness and injury and was a lowly 12th in defence of his Criterium du Dauphine title despite winning the opening two stages after a heavy crash.
MARK CAVENDISH
Age: 29
Team: Omega Pharma-Quick Step
Previous appearances (finishes in brackets): 2007 (withdrawn after stage eight), 2008 (withdrawn after stage 14), 2009 (131), 2010 (154), 2011 (130), 2012 (142), 2013 (148).
Stage wins: 23 (2008 - stages five, eight, 12 and 13; 2009 - stages two, three, 10, 11, 19 and 21; 2010 - stages five, six, 11, 18 and 20; 2011 - stages five, seven, 11, 15 and 21; 2012 - stages two, 18 and 20; 2013 - stages five and 13).
Cavendish's year is geared towards winning in Harrogate - his mother's hometown - and taking the Tour's yellow jersey for the first time. Historically a slow starter in the Grand Tours, the Manx Missile will have to reclaim his status as the world's leading sprinter from Marcel Kittel in Yorkshire - and that one stage could be enough to satisfy the winning machine.
GERAINT THOMAS
Age: 28
Team: Team Sky
Previous appearances (finishes in brackets): 2007 (140), 2010 (67), 2011 (31), 2013 (140).
Stage wins: None
It seems like an age since Thomas made his Tour debut in 2007 as a fresh-faced 21-year-old in London. He completed the 2013 Tour as Team Sky road captain despite fracturing his pelvis in Corsica at the start of the race. Thomas is a man of all talents with his full potential to be determined; for now he is happy in a team role, supporting Froome.
SIMON YATES
Age: 21
Team: Orica-GreenEDGE
Previous appearances (finishes in brackets): n/a
Stage wins: n/a
The 21-year-old from Bury is a surprise selectionfor his Tour debut after recovering from a broken collarbone at the Tour of Turkey, which his twin brother Adam won. Simon, the 2013 points race world champion on the track, benefited from the enforced rest and will be thrilled to race for the Australian team, which has enjoyed fleeting success in Grand Tours of late.
AND THE BRITS WHO DIDN'T MAKE IT:
Sir Bradley Wiggins, Pete Kennaugh, Ian Stannard, Ben Swift (all Team Sky), David Millar, Dan Martin (both Garmin-Sharp), Alex Dowsett (Movistar), Scott Thwaites (NetApp-Endura), Adam Yates (Orica-GreenEDGE).