Froome buckled up for rocky Tour de France challenge (Reuters)

By Julien Pretot PARIS (Reuters) – Chris Froome struggled for form, then crashed but the Briton looks ready just in time to compete for a second Tour de France title although micro managers Team Sky will struggle to control the race like they usually do. Froome, who claimed the 2013 Tour having won almost every race he entered in the build-up to the three-week extravaganza, took a rockier road this year before taking overall victory in the Criterium du Dauphine, the prestigious warm-up for the Tour. A couple of trademark late attacks in the final climbs helped him beat American Tejay van Garderen while defending Tour champion Vincenzo Nibali was still struggling for fitness.