PIDCOCK YELLOW STREAK

Tom eyes leader's jersey in Bilbao and future glory

- Mike Walters

TOM COCKPIT will bid to become only the 10th Briton to wear the leader's Yellow Jersey when the Tour de France sets off in Basque country tomorrow.

The Olympic mountain bike gold medallist believes the lumpy 113-mile opening stage, starting and ending in Bilbao, will suit a rider of his audacity and pluck.

Although the Ineos Grenadiers foreman may not be ready to sustain a challenge for the general classification over three weeks, he finished 16th on his Le Tour debut last year.

His maiden stage win on Alpe d'Huez, the mountain, signature looked a bold statement of a Tour de France future champion.