Vincenzo Nibali

Chapeau Nibbles. In a Tour without Alberto Contador and Chris Froome, the Italian shark has been a class apart from his GC 'rivals'.

Vincenzo Nibali claimed his third stage win of this year's Tour de France to increase his lead in the overall classification at the end of stage 13 on Friday.

There were Bastille Day fireworks on stage 10 of the Tour de France on Monday as Alberto Contador abandoned following a crash and Vincenzo Nibali reclaimed the yellow jersey with a tremendous victory at La Planche des Belles Filles.

Blel Kadri broke France's duck in this Tour with a brilliant ride, then GC favourite Alberto Contador tested the man in yellow, Vincenzo Nibali, with a sharp burst in the final few kilometres. Richie Porte hung on in there with a gutsy ride but couldn't quite get onto Nibali's wheel.

Stage 2 winner Vincenzo Nibali believes his victory in Sheffield proves he has the capabilities to challenge the GC favourites.

CHRIS FROOME

Age: 29

Team: Team Sky

Nationality: British

Previous appearances (finishes in brackets): 2008 (84th), 2012 (2nd), 2013 (1st).

Stage wins: Four (2012 - stage seven; 2013 - stages eight, 15 and 17).

This season Froome has not been the near-unbeatable beast he was in 2013 and is nervous about the cobbled fifth stage. He won the opening two stages of the Criterium du Dauphine, but a crash contributed to his demise later in the race as he finished 12th, giving his rivals a boost ahead of the Tour. On the plus side, Froome appears to like the balance of his (Wiggins-free) team this year.