Is Martin's ITT winning streak about to come to an end?

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Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-Quick-Step) has won his last five consecutive time trials but maillot jaune Chris Froome (Sky) is poised to bring the German's winning streak to an end in Wednesday's 17th stage of the Tour de France.

In fact, Martin's record is so good that since taking his World Championship title in October last year, he's only been beaten once in the chrono and that was in the Prologue at the Tour of Romandie.

The 32km ITT between Embrun and Chorges is vastly different in terrain from the race against the clock witnessed on stage 11. Instead of a slightly undulating parcours, two climbs await the 179 men left in the peloton. The first, just 6.5km into the stage, the Cat. 2 Côte de Puy-Sanières is followed by the slightly longer and harder Cat. 2 Côte de Réallon with 12km left to race.

Svein Tuft (Orica GreenEdge) will be the first man out of the start house at 10:17am local time, Martin will leave at 12:39pm while Froome as race leader will be last away at 4:33pm.

A look back at the events of stage 11 saw Martin get the better of Froome by 12 seconds and the race leader's climbing skills should give him an edge this time around and a third stage victory. Martin said as much to AFP.

"If I say I am going to win on Wednesday, I might as well say that I am also capable of winning at L'Alpe d'Huez," he admitted.

"With the right motivation and if the circumstances are perfect, then I could get lucky, but this is not a classic time-trial."

The wet conditions forecast however, could play into the hands of Alberto Contador as the Saxo-Tinkof, Sky arm-wrestle for the top step in Paris builds momentum over the final week of racing with the Spaniard 4:25 behind Froome. No doubt keen to build on the fact that he unsettled Froome en route to Gap, Contador is again poised to attack.

"If it rains at all, then it is a course than suits him well, but if the ground is drier he will not be able to make as big a difference on the downhills," said Saxo-Tinkoff directeur sportif Philippe Mauduit.

"Chris [Froome] should be superior on the climbs, but it is not a bad route for Alberto, that is clear. It should favour him."

Contador's last victory in a grand tour time trial was at the 2011 Giro d'Italia, on a shorter and more-challenging parcours.

Second overall, Bauke Mollema (Belkin) is just 11 seconds ahead of Contador and in his last hit-out before the Tour, finished third in the uphill time trial. The Dutchman finished in a respectable 11th place on stage 11 but should post an improved result on Wednesday's stage given his climbing strength.

"It's quite tricky, but I hope I can take time on Contador," Mollema said of the stage. "With two climbs, I fancy my chances on the parcours. The previous time trial gave me a lot of morale."

Start times Stage 17