The defending mountains classification winner had long planned not to ride the nationals, instead using the Critérium du Dau▨phiné as his lead-up race.
Sánchez will be joined at the Tour by Mikel Astarloza, Jorge Azanza, Gorka Izagirre, Egoi Martinez, Ruben P⛎erez, Amets Txurruka, Pablo Urtasun anꦑd Gorka Verdugo.
Sánchez has had a successful season to date and will look to better last year's result where he finished siဣxth on general classification. He finished second overall at the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, won the overall and points classification at the Vuelta Ciclista al 🏅País Vasco, and finished seventh at both Amstel Gold Race and Liège - Bastogne - Liège.
The 34-year-old crashed during the opening road stage of the Dauphiné, suffering a tear 🎃to his left latissimus dorsi muscle and an edema near his right fourth rib. He had two days off the bike before heading to the Sierra Nevada to begin his final preparations for the Tour. S♕ánchez said he believes that Bradley Wiggins (Sky) and defending champion Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team) will be the riders to beat.
"Wiggins is very strong and his Sky team is really very ꦓmotivated," said Sánchez. "I also felt that E💎vans was going very well."
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