Aussies hit top form as Tour de France approaches

AUSTRALIA could be in for one of its most exciting Tours de France in history, with a host of our riders hitting form ahead of the three-week race.

Australia's Cameron Meyer could get used to this if his pre-Tour de France form is anything to go by.

AUSTRALIA could be in for one of its most exciting and successful Tours de France in history, with a host of our riders hitting form ahead of the three-week race.

Top hope and 2011 winner Cadel Evans is third favourite with the bookies (at $10) after blowing out the cobwebs and challenging for the lead at last month's Giro d'Italia, but it is some of the Aussie lesser lights who could come from the clouds.

CAMERON MEYER

Orica-GreenEDGE's Cameron Meyer may be a bit young to challenge for Tour honours this year, but has already proved he could be a force in the future after hanging onto the leader's jersey at the Tour of Switzerland overnight.

Meyer, better known for his time trialling ability than his talent on the steeps, hung in with the climbers on the second Swiss stage to retain a three-second lead over 2012 Giro winner Ryder Hesjedal.

RICHIE PORTE

Then there's Team Sky rider Richie Porte, widely regarded as the man who will supersede Cadel Evans as our biggest Tour chance in the next two years.

Porte, who won the prestigious Paris-Nice stage race this year and has worn the leader's pink jersey at the Giro, would be a legitimate contender in France this year if not for one thing - his own teammate, Chris Froome.

While Porte could rightfully challenge for yellow, he may as well be a sprinter with no chance of finishing among the elite.

He'll spend his three weeks doing the lion's share of the work for Team Sky, to ensure race favourite Froome make it to Paris in front, and in one piece.

MICHAEL ROGERS

It was only a few years ago that Michael Rogers was thereabouts in the general classification at the grand tours.

A time trial specialist and world champion in that discipline, he could never quite match it with the heavy hitters once the roads went skyward.

But the 33-year-old will enter Le Tour in impressive form, having finished second overall at the Tour of California, and last night only dropping away on the final climb to fall from third to sixth in the overall standings at the Criterium du Dauphine.

He may be resigned to doing the grunt work for Tour second favourite Alberto Contador, just as the Spaniard did for him during last night's stage as the Aussie battled to stay in touch with the lead group.

ROHAN DENNIS

Expect him to cark it as the sheer length of the Tour takes its toll on unseasoned bodies, but Rohan Dennis could bob up as a potential leader early in the race.

The 23-year-old Adelaide rider led the Criterium du Dauphine after four stages, eventually finishing eighth.

With a time trialling pedigree, Dennis will be disappointed there's no prologue time trial at this year's event, but if he can hang around until stage four, the 25km solo screamer around Nice could provide yellow chances for him.