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SHOTLIST: Omaha Beach, Normandy, France. June 30th, 2016

1. 00:00 Various of Chris Froom during interview

2. 00:11 SOUNDBITE: (English) Chris Froome, Team Sky:

"Very much so. Very much so. We love racing in France. We love the Tour de France. It's the most important race for us on our calendar. So yes, I'm really looking forward to the three weeks ahead."

3. 00:29 Cutaway

4. 00:36 SOUNDBITE: (English) Chris Froome, Team Sky:

"I do think that it's a route that is very much a climbers route. I think it suits a pure climber. Even though we have two time trials, they are very hilly time trials. So the guys who climb well should go right in them. But yeah, I think we've got a fantastic team here. I've got a lot of confidence in my team-mates. I feel privileged to be in a position to be leading a line-up of guys like that. I mean, guys who can be leaders in their own right have come here to support me and I think it's something that gives me a lot of confidence coming into this year's Tour de France."

5. 01:24 Cutaway

6. 01:31 SOUNDBITE: (English) Chris Froome, Team Sky:

"I think I am definitely in good shape. More or less, the same I have been in previous Tours de France. But I do believe this is going to be one of the toughest challenges for me of my career to date."

7. 01:53 Cutaway

8. 01:59 SOUNDBITE: (English) Chris Froome, Team Sky:

"My main rivals? I'd say primarily Nairo Quintana, given that both times I've won the Tour de France he was runner-up. He was the guy who finished second and pushed me all the way until Paris. But then again, you can't discount any of the big leaders who are here. Alberto Contador, Fabio Aru, Vincenzo Nibali, Tejay van Garderen, Richie Porte, Romain Bardet, Thibaut Pinot. There is a whole list of guys and that is the beautiful thing about the Tour de France. Once we start on Saturday, everyone starts as equals and we go from there."

9. 02:55 Cutaway

10. 03:01 SOUNDBITE: (English) Chris Froome, Team Sky (on crashes involving motorbikes on stages):

"I think it's something the sport really needs to keep working at. And it's something that is a work in progress. I think it's incredibly unfortunate accidents that have happened this year. But hopefully that is something that the sport is working at improving."

11. 03:27 Cutaway

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 03:34

STORYLINE:

Defending champion Chris Froome spoke on Thursday (30th June) ahead of this weekend's start of the 103rd edition of the Tour de France.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

Chris Froome will enjoy the support of a Team Sky squad featuring strong climbers at this year's Tour de France.

Aiming to win cycling's showpiece race for a third time, Froome will be joined by Sergio Henao, Vasil Kiryienka, Mikel Landa, Mikel Nieve, Wout Poels, Luke Rowe, Ian Stannard and Geraint Thomas on the roads of France this summer.

Speaking in Normandy on Thursday, close to the start of Saturday's opening stage at Mont Saint-Michel, Froome said: "I feel privileged to be in a position to be leading a line-up of guys like that I mean, guys who can be leaders in their own right have come here to support me and I think it's something that gives me a lot of confidence coming into this year's Tour de France."

The 31-year-old Briton first won the Tour de France in 2013 and followed that up with a second win last year.

On both occasions he was pushed all the way to Paris by Colombian Nairo Quintana and Froome expects the Movistar rider to be a serious contender this year as well, among a string of others.

"My main rivals? I'd say primarily Nairo Quintana, given that both times I've won the Tour de France he was runner-up." Froome said. "But then again, you can't discount any of the big leaders who are here. Alberto Contador, Fabio Aru, Vincenzo Nibali, Tejay van Garderen, Richie Porte, Romain Bardet, Thibaut Pinot. There is a whole list of guys and that is the beautiful thing about the Tour de France. Once we start on Saturday, everyone starts as equals and we go from there."

The Tour starts on July 2nd and finishes on the Champs-Elysees in Paris three weeks later.

The 103rd Tour will visit three neighbouring countries - Spain, Andorra and Switzerland - and pass through 16 sites and stage cities unvisited in previous editions.

Security will be tight, with France in a state of emergency since the attacks in the capital in November which killed 130 people.

The Tour will be protected by an unprecedented force of 23,000 police officers, including SWAT-style intervention squads.