Defending Tour de France champion Chris Froome (SKY) looked reasonably satisfied as the 2016 Tour de France itinerary was unveiled in Paris earlier today. Froome took a 1:12 lead over Movistar’s Columbian climbing specialist, Nairo Quintana, into Paris this year after a parcours that had been cleansed from time trialling kilometres. Hence, it is hardly surprising that the Brit should believe that next year’s route will be to his advantage. In particular, Froome hailed next year’s route as being significantly more “well-rounded” than this year’s trip through France.

“It certainly suits me better than this [year’s] Tour did,” said a delighted Froome according to Velonews.com. “This year obviously went really well for us, it’s great that it’s a well-rounded Tour next year.”

Threatened to forfeit Tour

12 months ago the British rider found it difficult to cloak his disappointment with the 2015 Tour route, even going as far as indicating he might skip this year’s Tour. In the end he didn’t, of course, and Froome ended up winning the Tour for a second time following a display of versatility and focus that none of his rivals could match.

“It’s not necessarily that I was disappointed with the lack of time-trialing,” Froome went on to say, “but more that I was disappointed that, to me, the Tour de France has always been a race that needs to challenge every aspect of a rider.”

“You’re not just going to get a pure climber or a pure time-trialist winning it. It always has been a race for me that the best all-round rider can win, so next year’s route is definitely much more that kind of Tour.”

Froome had another reason to rejoice as the fabled and infamous Mont Ventoux will make a comeback and serve as an uphill finish on Bastille Day on stage 12. In 2013, Froome gave an irrepressible display on this giant climb and laid the foundations for his subsequent overall win. Should Froome manage to duplicate his 2013 triumph on the Giant of Provence, he might be able to go into the individual time trial on stage 13 with peace of mind.

Froome’s rivals will be warned and the Brit’s satisfaction today might be an ominous sign for all other contenders.