With the Tour de France edging every closer Chris Froome has laid down a marker. The Brit admitted to not being at his best in the recent Critérium du Dauphiné.
However, Froome was always in contention from the very first day, staying in close contention with the leaders and main rivals.
Although Froome crossed the line with only a 12 second lead, this was enough to retain the Yellow Jersey overall and the title once again.
The Brit will enter the Tour De France as the overall favourite, and this will effectively mean there is a target on him.
Team Sky will have their riders there to help and protect Froome as the lead rider. Wout Poels, Sergio Henao, and Mikel Landa along with Geraint Thomas, will be going all out to help the Brit make more history.
The Sky train will be hard to beat once again this year. If all goes to plan Froome and his team will once again be crossing the line as one.
Froome proved in the Dauphine that he is very difficult to drop one on one in decisive climbs. Once the Brit got a lead on his rivals he just stayed defensive, never letting them get too far away.
Sky always have a plan, and if everything all comes together over the three weeks of the Tour then Froome will make history again.
Already the only Brit to win the event twice, if Froome wins again he will be the first Brit to win the event three times.
Froome would also be the first rider to win back to back tours since Spaniard Miguel Indurain, which stretches all the way back to the 1990's for the last back to back winner.
Who are the main rivals that could stop Froome?
Alberto Contador is one name never to discount in France. Although the Spaniard missed out on the podium in the Dauphine, he was always in sight of the Brit. Contador has also won the tour, and will be trying to do so again.
Neither Froome or Contador were at their best during the Dauphine, the Spaniard admitting he didn't have the legs for the climbs. If both are fully fit in France then this will be one heck of a fight.
Vincenzo Nibali
Nibali is another rival that the Brit will be aware of and watching for. There have been doubts as to the Italians participation in this years Tour.
As the Italian is known to be focussing on the Olympics in Rio, and with a ride in the Giro D'Italia behind him, Nibali looks likely to be riding in France.
Nairo Quintana
The Columbian chose not to ride the Dauphine, but will instead be riding at the Route du Sud this week.
Last year Quintana was the only rider able to get close to Froome, taking valuable seconds off the Brit on the Alpe d’Huez summit. In fact he closed by over a minute on the eventual victor.
This was the closest anyone came to de-throning the Brit last year. Quintana looks like being the nearest rider who could challenge Froome for the Yellow jersey.
Outsiders with a possible chance would include Richie Porte, a team mate of the Brit last year and someone that is likely to have an insight into the team plan of Sky.
Porte was not able to stop the Brit at the Dauphine however, and Sky will know how to change their overall plan so that Porte won't know exactly what they are thinking.
Overall, Froome is going to be very difficult to stop this year. Only the weather, mechanical failures or injury are likely to stop the Brit winning his third tour.