Chris Froome was the ultimate support rider for his team leader Bradley Wiggins (Sky) at last year’s Vuelta a España - perhaps too good. The Kenyan-born rider, who is a British citizen, rode as a domestique in the Spanish grand tour and as much as Wiggins wanted to win, his teammate was frankly better.

It’s arguable that Froome could have won the entire race if he had not waited for Wiggins at a number of crucial moments. He was stronger in the time trials, performing the pace setting in the mountains and could have finished on the top step if team orders didn’t insist he stay with Wiggins. It wasn't until late in the race that Wiggins accepted Froome was the stronger rider.

This year Froome is once again at the service of Wiggins but after eight stages and heading into a crucial time trial, he lies in sixth place and just 1:32 behind the current leader of the general classification and teammate, Wiggins. Froome will be given the green light to give his all in the 41.5km time trial and while he may end the day a couple of places higher it's the following two weeks he'll more likely do damage to the other contenders. He's got the opportunity to finish on the podium but unless Wiggins suffers a huge collapse, he won't be on the top step when the race finishes in Paris.

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