According to Biciciclismo, Sky has already come a long way in selection their roster for the 2014 edition of the Tour de France. After putting their internal rivalry behind them, Chris Froome and Bradley Wiggins will again ride together in the World's biggest bike race and will be formidably supported by Richie Porte, Sergio Henao, Peter Kennaugh, Kanstantsin Siutsou, Vasil Kiryienka and Mikel Nieve while Geraint Thomas and Ian Stannard are in contention for the final spot on the roster.

The start of the Tour de France in Yorkshire may be more than seven months away but the preparation of the most important race on the calendar has already kicked off in earnest. Many teams have used the month of December to finalize their racing schedules and so get a rough ideas of their rosters for the biggest races.

One of those teams is Team Sky which was gathered in Mallorca earlier this month to discuss the 2014 season. According to Biciciclismo, the team already has a clear idea of their line-up for the most important race of the season: the Tour de France.

The team will again be led by Chris Froome who aims to defend his title and make sure that the title remains in the Sky ranks for a third consecutive year. Unlike this year, he will be supported by his predecessor as the winner of the most prestigious race as Bradley Wiggins is likely to return to the event after a one-year absence.

The pair have had a strained relationship since Froome attacked his captain on the stage to La Toussuire in the 2012 edition of the race but have reportedly put their internal rivalry behind them. Wiggins has earlier indicated that he would like to go back to the Tour de France before focusing on the track and the 2016 Rio and is ready to take on a support role in the biggest race of the world.

In 2013 Richie Porte was the key lieutenant for Froome and the Australian will be back to support his close friend. However, the Australian's main objective in now the Giro d'Italia where he will lead Sky and his form may be a question mark for this year's edition of La Grande Boucle.

Compared to this year, the team will be considerable strengthened by Sergio Henao who finished in the top 10 in his first grand tour in the 2012 Giro and played important support roles in both the 2012 Vuelta and the 2013 Giro. Being regarded as a future grand tour star, he was the designated leader at the 2013 Vuelta but failed to live up to expectations. In 2014, he will get his first taste of the Tour de France.

Another important addition is Mikel Nieve who has joined the team from Euskaltel. The climber finished 3rd on this year's stage to Mont Ventoux and has won queen stages in both the Giro and the Vuelta in the past.

The Belarusian duo Kanstantsin Siutsou and Vasil Kiryienka are known as two of the best mountain domestiques in the world and are expected to make a return after failing to hit their best form for the 2013 edition of the race. Peter Kennaugh has also been put on the provisional roster after continuing his rise up through the ranks by supporting Froome excellently in this year's Tour.

While the first 8 spots appear to be reserved for climbers after the team failed to support Froome sufficiently in this year's race, the final spot should be for a classics rider who can help Froome in the difficult first week and support him on the cobbles of Northern France. Paris-Roubaix specialists Geraint Thomas and Ian Stannard both did this year's Tour and are both in contention for the final spot. While Stannard was Froome's bodyguard in this year's flat stages, Thomas is much more versatile and can also lend a strong hand in the mountains.

Compared to this year's line-up, three riders will not return to the event if the Biciciclismo report is confirmed. Climber David Lopez and classics specialist Edvald Boasson Hagen could both miss the race after doing it in 2012. The final rider to be absent in France will be either Thomas or Stannard.

The Tour de France kicks off on July 5 with a flat stage in Yorkshire.