Christopher Froome, who is competing at the Critérium du Dauphiné in order to improve his shape for the Tour de France, hopes that teammate Richie Porte will be present at the start of the most famous race of the season.

According to Cyclingnews, the  Australia rider is now back in Monaco where is preparing for the Tour. "So far I'm happy with how the form is going. We've not done any big mountain days yet but I'm feeling good since that period after I did Romandie. After I did that race I had a block of training and went up to altitude with the guys and it's left me happy with where I am at the moment," Froome told. "This is the last real test before the Tour so it's a chance to really open up on the climbs and see where I'm at and where my rivals are. It will tell me what I need to do before the Tour de France. I'll know what tweaks I need to make in my training."

Chris Froome, Nicolas Roche, Mikel Nieve, Geraint Thomas, Wout Poels, Sergio Henao and Leopold Konig composed the squad and Richie Porte would be present too.

"I think there's a core of guys here who will be going back to back and going to the Tour. I wouldn't say that this is 100 per cent the Tour team as there's one or two guys like Thomas and Richie who are missing," Froome added according to Cyclingnews. "Hopefully Richie can bounce back after this Giro but a lot depends on this period of racing and how the guys go at the Tour of Switzerland as well. Then I'm sure the team will make the final call on what the team will be. Of course the Dauphiné is an important race in its own right. It's a race where I've done well in the past and I'd like to do well again."

Today, Froome and his teammates hopes to show his best during the 24,5 km team time trial for Roanne to Montagny. "It's a big goal for us because obviously the team time trial is a big part of the Tour de France. It's another dry run at that and every time you can do a TTT you come out of it having learnt a bit more and become more dynamic."