Eight riders to watch besides Alberto Contador

By Matt Price

Mark Cavendish

Couldn't stop winning at last year's Tour but the Manx man's 2010 went wrong when he flew to Paraguay with his model girlfriend to undergo dental surgery. Ignoring doctor's orders, Cavendish went for a ride shortly afterwards. His gums became infected and he was bedridden for two weeks. He flopped in the early classics then, after an inconsequential win at the Tour of Romandy, addressed his critics with a two-fingered salute (see right). Was fined for causing a crash at the Tour of Switzerland that may turn out to have been his best tactical move this year. Belgian rival Tom Boonen was caught in the pile-up, aggravated a knee injury and is out of the Tour.

Bradley Wiggins

The Brit caused a stir by turning up at the 2009 Tour having lost weight and transformed himself from individual time triallist into serious all-round contender. He looked good in May's Giro d'Italia before falling away in the final few days in the mountains. He finished fifth at the Tour last year and with the weight of Team Sky behind him will be eyeing a place on the podium.

Lance Armstrong

Armstrong loves a fight, which is lucky, given his season to date. Gastroenteritis sidelined him for much of the spring. In May, Floyd Landis accused him of doping, and several hours later he crashed out of the Tour of California. Ominously, he recovered to finish second in the recent Tour of Switzerland. At 38 years old, much may depend on the strength of his new team.

Fabian Cancellara

The Swiss Olympic champion rocketed away to win Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders in the European spring, after which it was alleged that he had been assisted by a motor hidden inside his seat tube. The UCI has put paid to those sort of shenanigans by announcing that it will scan bikes at this year's Tour. Under his own power he will be favourite to win Saturday's prologue, which could mean another few days in yellow to add to the six he wore in 2009.

Levi Leipheimer

Armstrong's Team RadioShack is strong on paper, but if they are going to do well, Leipheimer has to deliver. He has had a mediocre year to date despite a third placing at the Tour of California. As Armstrong's right-hand man, he can't afford a flop here.

Andy Schleck

The lanky Luxembourger is more of a show this year than last, when he was pitted against the combined might of Contador, Armstrong and Leipheimer at Astana. He needs luck to go his way, but if Contador stumbles is well-placed to turn last year's second place into a first.

Ivan Basso

'Ivan the Terrible' is now a two-time Giro d'Italia champion, despite serving a ban for blood doping between the two victories. An unstoppable climber on his day, his chances at the Tour will be determined by the quality of support he gets from his Liquigas team. The likes of Vincenzo Nibali and Sagan mean that on paper Liquigas are strong. If he is in contention come the mountains, Basso will be one of the favourites.

Alexander Vinokourov

The cartoon villain of the Pro Tour, Vino returned from a two-year doping suspension to win the Liege-Bastogne-Liege spring classic to widespread disapproval. He looks and rides a bit like the Terminator, but showed old-fashioned human weakness in the later stages of the Giro. There are question marks over how much he will be prepared to sacrifice himself, which could be pivotal to teammate Contador's hopes, and therefore to everybody else's chances.

The Tour de France begins in Rotterdam on Saturday, July 3