Robert Millar: Who will be the last man standing in the Tour de France?

Robert Millar in the Tour de France

Robert Millar in the Tour de France (Image credit: Sirotti)

With Vincenzo Nibali comfortably installed in the yellow jersey and the only one of the three pre-race favourites to make it to the big mountain stages you could be excused for thinking it's all over in the Tour de France. That would be doing a disservice to the riders directly behind the Italian because although they might be wondering what they can do against a Nibali in top form they'll also be wondering how they can ambush each other. The two Alpine stages will tell us who can still race after two weeks and who seems to be hanging and on hoping for better days but you also need to consider there'll be some of the top ten GC riders better suited to one set of mountains compared to the later ones, which will undoubtedly decide the race.

Robert Millar was one of the last pure climbers of the Tour de France, winning several stages in the mountain stages and finishing fourth overall in 1984. He is also the only English speaker to have ever won the prestigious polka-dot jersey climber's competition jersey.

Millar retired in 1995 but has continued to follow the sport closely. He was often critical of the media and quickly cuts through the excuses and spin to understand why and how riders win and lose.