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Organizers unveiled a balanced route on Tuesday, one that
will heavily favor the climbers but also includes two demanding
time trials featuring a few ascents -- the perfect mix for the
double Tour champion.
"I think it's a great course," the Team Sky rider told
reporters. "It really does challenge in every aspect of cycling
-- time trials, the mountains, a tricky technical descent also."
"It's such an amazing, special race, I'm still 30 years old and
feel I have a lot left in my legs.
"(Next year's course) suits me better," he added, in reference
to the two time trials.
This year's event, which he won in thrilling fashion from Nairo
Quintana, featured only one individual time trial.
Froome won the 2013 and 2015 editions thanks to impressive
attacks in the mountains -- up the Mont Ventoux the first time
and up La Pierre-Saint-Martin this year, hammering his rivals in
awe-inspiring fashion.
The 2016 race features a stage that finishes on the summit of
the iconic Mont Ventoux, a 22km ascent at an average gradient of
7.2 per cent.
"I think that the beautiful thing about the Tour de France is
that it's not specifically about one stage, I think it's going
to take a complete cyclist, but the stage that certainly stands
out for me is the stage to Mont Ventoux," Froome said.
"I know how difficult this climb is and how much time can be won
or lost on that climb."
French hope Thibaut Pinot, third in 2014, said Froome will again
be the man to beat.
"The favorite will be Chris Froome, he's the most complete
rider, he's the stronger," he told reporters.
"But it will also be good for (this year's runner-up) Nairo
Quintana (of Colombia). The time trials will be a good test for
the climbers."
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Martyn Herman)
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