(Reuters) - Three-times Tour de France champion Chris Froome expects local favorite Richie Porte to push him all the way to the finish when the Briton kicks off his 2017 season at the UCI's World Tour event in Victoria on Sunday. Froome will ride in the Towards Zero Race around Melbourne's Formula One circuit on Thursday but begins his quest for a fourth Tour de France title in earnest at Sunday's 174-km one-day race, which starts in Geelong, south-west of Melbourne. The 31-year-old Briton did not take part in this year's Tour Down Under, which Porte won ahead of Colombia's Esteban Chaves, and said it was premature to be talking about who the main contenders would be in France in July. More...