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The Isle of Man-born 'Manx Missile' has won 20 Tour de France stages to his name, is the current World Road Race Champion - and he's nowhere near finished yet
Bradley Wiggins is the favourite, having just won his second straight Dauphine. Will Team Sky click this year and produce Britain's first ever Tour winner?
The veteran Australian finally rode out of everyone's slipstream to win the ultimate accolade last year and will be looking to add another triumph in 2012
Andy's brother finally gets the chance to accelerate out of his shadow in this year's race with a savvy team of veterans to help him throughout
Belgian rider Philippe Gilbert is a hugely talented 'puncheur' and will ride alongside champion Cadel Evans and Thor Hushovd in the 2012 Tour de France
King of the time trials, the Swiss powerhouse is a three-time world time trial champion and will target the Liege prologue where he beat Lance Armstrong in 2004
Twice winner of the green jersey, the Norwegian is a cult hero, one of the strongest all-round riders in the peloton and a specialist time-trialler and sprinter
Samuel Sanchez of Euskaltel-Euskadi finished fourth in 2010 and fifth in 2011. Can the Spaniard and his Basque team find their way on to the Paris podium in 2012?
Victorious at the Vuelta a Espana in 2010, 27-year-old Italian Vincenzo Nibali of Team Liquigas should be taken seriously as a contender for a high placing
The Kenyan born climber and time trialler finished second in the 2011 Vuelta to raise expectations he could bag stage victories in this year's Tour for Team Sky
Three times a Grand Tour winner, and returning after a hiatus last year, Russian Denis Menchov is one of the hot favourites for the maillot jaune in 2012
Former Giro d'Italia champion Ivan Basso has led Team Liquigas for years, although team-mate Vincenzo Nibali may be the team's biggest hope in 2012
It's over three decades since a Dutchman won the Tour de France, but Robert Gesink won the Tour of California in 2012 and arrives at the race with confidence
The Belgian, who rides for Omega Pharma-Lotto, finished fifth in 2010 but crashed out of the 2011 race on a wet descent. He's fit and back for more in 2012
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