STORYLINE:

With all three favourites taking a fall in the last few weeks, Tour de France Director Christian Prudhomme says the outcome of the French classic race has never been so uncertain.

While four-time winner Chris Froome has announced he would not be in Brussels for the first stage on 6th July because of a broken leg, last year's Yellow Jersey Geraint Thomas confirmed his participation despite a crash in the Tour de Suisse.

Their Columbian teammate Egan Bernal also fell during training in early May.

Prudhomme also said on Wednesday that he doesn't like the use of real time data in the Tour de France.

The Frenchman said "Bluffing should exist or at least make a come back. At one point, a racing cyclist should be able to trick another into believing that he's not feeling that bad."

SHOTLIST: Boulogne-Billancourt, France. 19th June 2019 / File

Boulogne-Billancourt, France. 19th June 2019

1. 00:00 Close of Tour de France Director Christian Prudhomme giving interview

2. 00:05 Wide of Prudhomme during interview

Doncaster, England, UK. 1st May 2019

3. 00:11 Various of Chris Froome at Team Ineos launch

Boulogne-Billancourt, France. 19th June 2019

4. 00:31 SOUNDBITE (French): Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Director:

"The Tour de France with Chris Froome and without is not the same thing. He has been the central character since, we'll say, 2013 – even if he was already here in 2012 and even if in 2012, with Bradley Wiggins, behind Bradley Wiggins, next to Bradley Wiggins, we talked about him a lot. So other scenarios are going to open up. There was this 'trident' with Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal – who wasn't expected in these circumstances with his fall that prevented him from taking part in the Giro – and this time, it's Geraint Thomas who fell during the Tour de Suisse. There's a succession of falls, three, involving the three leaders of the team (Ineos) just a few weeks apart as if bad luck never comes alone and hit the team hard. Of course, with that, things are going to change."

Paris, France. 29th July 2018.

5. 01:21 Thomas waving to crowd after Tour de France win

Cardiff, Wales, UK. 9th August 2018.

6. 01:30 Geraint Thomas holding Wales flag

Boulogne-Billancourt, France. 19th June 2019

7. SOUNDBITE (French): Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Director:

"As a reference to the 100 years of the Yellow Jersey, we made sure that there were many mountain passes over 2000m and for the first time in the Tour de France's history, we will have 3 finishing lines over 2000m in altitude. The Tourmalet, Tignes and Val Thorens. We know that over 2000m the performances of each can change but we are nearly pretty sure that the Colombians won't be less strong at 2000m. And of course, Bernal is Columbian…"

8. 02:01 Mid of Prudhomme during interview

9. 02:07 SOUNDBITE (French): Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Director:

"For me, it shouldn't be possible to have access in real time to the data from the power meters. That it should be possible to study it after the day's stage, yes, of course and the work done around the strategy is great and must be done in each team. Just not in real time. Bluffing should exist or at least make a come back. At one point, a racing cyclist should be able to trick another into believing that he's not feeling that bad. Power meters mean that racers never push themselves into the red zone which means that they can resist for a very very long time. But if you get into that red zone, because of your temperament or your instinct you let yourself be taken there, you will suffer later. These missteps are what make the competition exciting, it has fuelled the legend of these races and the Tour de France. We should be able to get that back and everybody should understand this. Now, of course, only victory matters and when you win or find yourself in a position to win, the only important thing is not the pleasure of your fans, but the victory."

10. 03:00 Mid of Prudhomme during interview

11. 03:05 SOUNDBITE (French): Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Director:

"Some want to present the world of Sports as a perfect world but it will never be. Things really have changed but unfortunately, there are always idiots out there and we should catch them and do everything we can to stop them because it's essential that people trust the results. Cycling really has changed – I'm sure of that – but I realise this is not an ideal world and I'm conscious of the fact that because of these idiots we have to continue carrying the weight of doping and it's a legitimate question."

12. 03:29 Pan of Tour de France map and Prudhomme during interview

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 03:38