chris froome is scheduled for an early season duel with his three main rivals for the 2015 tour de france title   alberto contador, nairo quintana and vincenzo nibali   at the tirreno adriatico stage race later this month tinkoff saxo boss oleg tinkov had hoped the quartet would line up in all three grand tours   of france, italy and spain that idea did not take off, but now tinkov has his wish of seeing the four race each other before the tour after organisers rcs sport announced their participation in the italy based tirreno adriatico race, which takes place from march 11 to 17 chris froome celebrates on the podium after winning the 61st tour of andalusia on february 21, 2015  froome will face his main rivals for the tour de france in italy; one of which is vincenzo nibali (pictured) the prospect of 2014 tour de france winner nibali competing is by no means certain, though, after the uci, cycling's world governing body, asked its licence commission to withdraw the licence of his astana team if nibali does take part it will be the first time the dominant four grand tour winners have all raced in the same worldtour event, rcs sport said contador (tinkoff saxo) is the defending champion of the 'race of the two seas' and has won all three grand tours, as has nibali, who won the 2012 and 2013 tirreno adriatico froome, the 2013 tour de france winner, will lead a team sky squad which is also slated to include elia viviani the italian will contest the sprints against mark cavendish (etixx quickstep) and marcel kittel (team giant alpecin), who has taken the briton's mantle as the world's top sprinter in recent seasons alberto contador (left) is another rider froome is expected to face at the tirreno adriatico stage race  nairo quintana makes up the four main contenders for the 2015 tour de france title 
chris froome tirreno froome alberto contador nairo quintana vincenzo nibali tour de france tinkoff saxo oleg tinkov grand tours italy france spain
chris froome is scheduled to ride in the tirreno adriatico stage race . froome will face alberto contador, nairo quintana and vincenzo nibali . all three riders are rivals for the 2015 tour de france title later in the year . tinkoff saxo boss oleg tinkov had hoped the quartet would line up in all three grand tours   in italy, france and spain 