French GC hope Thibaut Pinot believes the whole professional Tour de France peloton will breath a sigh of relief once the first 5 days of the race in Yorkshire and the cobbles are over.

"The first five days will be very complicated and important. I think three quarters of the bunch will be relieved at the end of the first week if they are still in the race."

“I did not check the weather yet but if it is raining or windy it could be a festival. I really believe one can lose the Tour in the first week."

German sprint superstar Marcel Kittel shares Pinot’s concerns for the narrow and potentially dangerous roads.

"On the descents when you ride through the more lonely roads in the middle of nowhere they are very narrow and very small with stone walls on both sides," he said this week.

"So when a very nervous Tour de France peloton fighting for the yellow jersey passes by, there can be a very dangerous situation." 

Despite the stress of the stages, Pinot believes that the foray into Yorkshire will be excellent for the sport, with Sunday’s “mini Liege-Bastogne-Liege” capturing Pinot’s attention most.

"Sunday's stage is going to be spectacular," the FDJ.fr rider told reporters in Leeds where preparations for Saturday's Grand Depart are complete. "We will need to be well positioned and vigilant.”

"The objective here is to show everyone what I can do and I need to be at my best level for that," Pinot, 24, said.