Chris Froome will head into the Tour de France as the firm favourite after wrapping up victory in the Critérium du Dauphiné with an impressive final stage in difficult conditions today.
As he crossed the line second on the day, Froome racked up his fourth stage race win of the season in this traditional warm-up event for the Tour, won by Team Sky team-mate Sir Bradley Wiggins last year before he went on to become the first ever British Tour winner.
Just as Wiggins dominated events prior to the Tour last year, Froome has done so this season, and this victory adds to his successes in the Tour of Oman, the Criterium International and the Tour of Romandie.
However, Froome would not get ahead of himself and insisted he was just one of several contenders for the yellow jersey.
Sir Bradley Wiggins won the 2012 Critérium ahead of his Tour win last year
"I have won the Dauphine, and other races before, but the counter is back to zero when the Tour starts," the Kenyan-born Briton said.
"There will be six to seven main contenders for overall victory.
"The names? (Alberto) Contador, (Alejandro) Valverde, (Joaquim) Rodriguez, (Cadel) Evans, (Tejay) Van Garderen, (Nairo) Quintana are all capable of strong rides."
Team Sky have every reason to head to Corsica full of confidence.
Richie Porte, primed to serve as Froome's chief lieutenant on the Tour in the absence of Wiggins, took second place overall while the squad finished top of the team classifications by a full 12 minutes.