Nine more sleeps. Nine more sleeps till Le Tour begins, and shuteye becomes a distant memory.

Anthony Tan wanted to talk about the 2014 Vuelta a España, but found himself besieged by host Al Hinds, Phil Gomes and Rob Arnold, he of the RIDE Cycling Review cycling empire. (Other than the behemoth that is Cycling Central, of course.)

Taking a leaf of the Team Sky handbook, the quartet methodically work their way through the five chapters of this year's Grande Boucle - beginning with the UK experience, moving onto the Vosges, then the Alps, the Pyrenees, and, a day before Paris, the Bergerac time trial, the only timed test of the 2014 Tour.

Next, we talk of the five main contenders - Chris Froome, Alberto Contador, Vincenzo Nibali, Alejandro Valverde, and Tejay van Garderen - otherwise known as Froome-dog, Bert-dog, Nibble-dog, Piti-dog, and Gard-dog - and vacillate on just who will be the Top Dog come 27 July.

When it comes to picking a winner it's split 2-2 - but you'll have to listen to discover who they are and which way the pod quartet go. (You may be surprised.)

The green jersey also gets a mention, though it is brief.

Because combined, Peter 'Tourminator' Sagan's speed and versatility, not to mention the points structure of the competition, make the Slovak's quest for a third maillot vert a near forgone conclusion.