Following his overall win in Tour of Oman, including a prestigious mountain stage, Christopher Froome (Sky Procycling) will be looking to add to his season’s tally in the Tirreno-Adriatico.

The stage race includes a team time trial, several hilly stages, a mountain stage and an individual time trial, thus offering numerous opportunities for Froome to pound on the opposition.

However, in his search for new glory Froome will face stiff and determined competition from a number of world class stage race rider including Alberto Contador (Saxo-Tinkoff), Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team) and Joaquím Rodriguez (Katusha).

Froome has no illusions as to the magnitude of the task facing him, “Every race I do now is important,” he told reporters at a pre-race press conference. “I’ll try to get the most out of it. It’s a really good field and a demanding route, and it’s going to be a really hard week of racing.”

Froome will captain the Sky Procycling team in today’s team time trial as he seeks to set up a promising launching pad for the remainder of the race.