Wiggins and Cavendish up for Tour de France glory

The 97th Tour de France begins in the Dutch city of Rotterdam on Saturday with two British riders being tipped to challenge for honours.

Bradley Wiggins, who finished fourth in last year's tour, has a realistic chance of becoming the first Briton to win the race, and with it the famous yellow jersey. And sprinter Mark Cavendish - the fastest man in the field - is favourite to take the green points jersey.

The race begins with a short time-trial, Wiggins's speciality, through the streets of Rotterdam and the 30-year-old Londoner could well be in first place after that 5.5 mile prologue. However, if he is to be wearing yellow three weeks later he will have to maintain his speed over a further 2,258 miles.

Wiggins will be riding with the new British outfit Team Sky. The nine-man team also features two other domestic cyclists, Steve Cummings and Geraint Thomas, in its line-up.

It is run by Dave Brailsford, the man who masterminded the GB track cycling team's rise to global domination, and he is hoping to replicate that level of success with the new team.

Wiggins said: "It is a hard race but if it's going to be hard for me, you can guarantee it's going to be hard for everyone else. Without bad luck and everything I think I'll get the result I want."

If he is to win he will have to keep up with strong favourite and last year's winner Alberto Contador, who is a fearsome climber in the mountains.

There is also the challenge of the legendary Lance Armstrong to contend with. The American won the race seven times in a row between 1999 to 2005 and then came out of retirement in 2009 and finished third. The 38-year-old has announced that 2010 will be his final tour.

Sprinter Mark Cavendish will be hoping to make up for the disappointment of last year by winning the green jersey this time round. The Manxman won six stages in 2009, which should have been enough to secure him the green jersey, but disqualification on stage 14 meant that Norwegian Thor Hushovd pipped him to the maillot vert.

Although Cavendish dominates the world of sprinting he will not be able to challenge the leaders over the mountains, so cannot contend for the yellow jersey. ·