The 2016 Tour de France could feature eight Britons, with two-time winner Chris Froome and 26-time stage winner Mark Cavendish leading the way.
Here, Press Association Sport looks at those who could be lining up in Mont St Michel on July 2.
CHRIS FROOME
Age: 31
Team: Team Sky
Previous Appearances (finishes in brackets): 2008 (84th), 2012 (2nd), 2013 (1st), 2014 (DNF - withdrew stage five), 2015 (1st).
Stage wins: Five (2012 - stage seven; 2013 - stages eight, 15 and 17; 2015 - stage 10).
After the disappointment of crashing out in 2014, Froome returned to claim his second Tour crown in 2015. It was less convincing than his first as, suffering from illness, he desperately clung on during the climb of Alpe d'Huez on stage 20, but he did enough to hold off Nairo Quintana. Froome won the Criterium du Dauphine in June, just as he did in 2013 and 2015 before Tour victories, to suggest his form is where it needs to be for another bid for yellow.
MARK CAVENDISH
Age: 31
Team: Team Dimension Data
Previous appearances (finishes in brackets): 2007 (withdrew after stage eight), 2008 (withdrew after stage 14), 2009 (131), 2010 (154), 2011 (130), 2012 (142), 2013 (148), 2014 (DNF - abandoned after stage 1), 2015 (142).
Stage wins: Stage wins: 26 (2008 - stages five, eight, 12 and 13; 2009 - stages two, three, 10, 11, 19 and 21; 2010 - stages five, six, 11, 18 and 20; 2011 - stages five, seven, 11, 15 and 21; 2012 - stages two, 18 and 20; 2013 - stages five and 13; 2015 - stage seven.)
Three stage wins in as many years is not the sort of return Cavendish and his fans were accustomed to during his run of total domination between 2008 and 2012, but the Manxman insists his training numbers show he is as fast as he ever was, and he still has big targets. This year's opening stage gives him another chance to claim the yellow jersey which has thus far eluded him, and he is only two stage wins behind Bernard Hinault for second all-time. However, Cavendish must leave the Tour mid-way through if he is to pursue his Olympic ambitions in Rio.
GERAINT THOMAS
Age: 30
Team: Team Sky
Previous appearances (finishes in brackets): 2007 (140), 2010 (67), 2011 (31), 2013 (140), 2014 (22), 2015 (15).
Stage wins: None
The enthusiastic Welshman has been given more and more opportunities within the Team Sky squad, and after his impressive performance in last year's Tour - where he was in contention for a surprise podium until the final two days of climbing - he will go to this year's race as a protected rider within the squad. A disappointing end to the Tour de Suisse, his final warm-up race, raises questions over his form, however.
ALEX DOWSETT
Age: 27
Team: Movistar
Previous appearances (finishes in brackets): 2015 (Abandoned on stage 12).
Stage wins: None
The Essex rider endured a torrid Tour de France debut last year, crashing on stage four, struggling on the early mountain stages and barely missing the time cut on stage 11, and he pulled out after being dropped on the first climb of stage 12. But Dowsett's time-trialling prowess - he broke the British record over 25 miles in May and took a time-trial win in the 2013 Giro d'Italia - has earned him a spot on Movistar's shortlist for their Tour squad.
STEVE CUMMINGS
Age: 35
Team: Team Dimension Data
Previous appearances (finishes in brackets): 2010 (151), 2012 (95), 2015 (86).
Stage wins: One (2015 - stage 14)
The Wirral rider provided one of the highlights of the 2015 Tour with his late breakaway victory on stage 14, giving his African team - then named MTN-Qhubeka - their first Tour win and fittingly one that arrived on Nelson Mandela Day. Cummings has thrived since joining the team from BMC after the 2014 season, with the freedom he has been afforded allowing him to collect a string of memorable stage wins, none more so than the one in Mende.
ADAM YATES
Age: 23
Team: Orica-GreenEdge
Previous appearances (finishes in brackets): 2015 (50).
Stage wins: N/A
Orica-GreenEdge see Yates and his twin brother Simon as future general classification contenders, and Yates suggested their faith was not misplaced by finishing seventh on stage eight and seventh on stage 10 last tear, the first mountain stage of the Tour. The Australian team had hoped to have both Yates brothers on the start line but Simon's four-month ban for a positive drugs test - which came after the team doctor failed to properly apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) for asthma treatment - leaves Adam to go alone this year.
IAN STANNARD
Age: 29
Team: Team Sky
Previous appearances (finishes in brackets): 2013 (135).
Stage wins: None
A classics specialist by trade, Stannard's diesel engine allows him to ride on the front of the peloton all day long and he provided key protection for Froome in 2013. He has not been back since, with injury ruling him out in 2014 and other riders preferred in 2015, but is a candidate to return now after helping Froome to victory in the Criterium.
LUKE ROWE
Age: 26
Team: Team Sky
Previous appearances (finishes in brackets): 2015 (136).
Stage wins: N/A
Rowe made his Tour debut in 2015, becoming only the third Welshman to finish the Tour, and should return to provide further support for Froome and Thomas. Still only 26, Rowe has matured hugely in the last couple of seasons, and has served as Team Sky's road captain in key races including the Tour Down Under and Criterium du Dauphine.
:: There are also likely to be a couple of Irishmen in the race: DAN MARTIN (Etixx-QuickStep) won stage nine in the 2013 Tour and is always a threat in the mountains, where he could also seek to join the GC battle alongside French team-mate Julian Alaphilippe. SAM BENNETT (Bora-Argon) will look to spring a surprise in the sprints after making his Tour debut last year.
Source: PA-WIRE
