 The favourites for the race included the 2013 champion , Richie Porte ( Team Sky ) , the 2011 champion , Tony Martin ( Etixx – Quick @-@ Step ) and the 2014 world champion , Michał Kwiatkowski ( Etixx – Quick @-@ Step ) . Other riders considered to have a chance of victory included Geraint Thomas ( Team Sky ) , who had just won the Volta ao Algarve , Romain Bardet and Jean @-@ Christophe Péraud ( both AG2R La Mondiale ) , Tejay van Garderen ( BMC Racing Team ) , Andrew Talansky ( Cannondale – Garmin ) and Rui Costa ( Lampre – Merida ) . 
