Luke Rowe was a revelation since the Vuelta a Espana last year.  He showed he has become stronger and stronger. Top 10 in April at Paris-Roubaix, he will be valuable in the opening week of the Tour de France. The British rider said he is very proud to be present at the July event.

"It is a massive honour", he admitted to Skysports. "Sky are one of the strongest World Tour teams around. There's so much strength in depth, so to make the cut and make the final line-up is no mean feat. To go there alongside such a great bunch of guys, and not only team-mates but good mates as weel, is pretty special."

"I think it is been said a few times that the race is kind of split up into two halces. The first nine days of any Grand Tour are chaotic and carnage, but if you look at the parcours for this specific Tour de France it looks even more so. There's the cobbled stage and a lot of opportunity for cross-winds to split the peloton. I think in myself, Ian Stannard and between the other guys it will be about making sure Froomey is in the right place at the right time for the first nine days. We don't want to be caught behind any splits or crashes and hopefully we will be able to prevent that."

Team Sky roster: Chris Froome, Peter Kennaugh, Leopold Konig, Wout Poels, Richie Porte, Nicolas Roche, Luke Rowe, Ian Stannard, Geraint Thomas.