Bennati has emerged as a real threat this year and heads into the race as one of the three or four most likely winners of the sprinters' green jersey.
Indeed it could be argued that the Italian's form in the last 12 months marks him out as the man to beat.
He won twice at the Tour de France last year, including the final stage in Paris.
And that was followed up by three stage wins in the Tour of Spain.
However the year ended on a real low after he broke his wrist and subsequent ligament problems also put question marks against his chances in 2008.
But they've long since been allayed by his display at this season's Giro d'Italia which took place just a month before the Tour.
He won three stages at the Giro on the way to wrapping up the points classification and in the absence of Tom Boonen - who has been barred from this year's Tour after testing positive for cocaine - he has a golden chance to land the green jersey.
The Italian really does look the complete package. His tactics are sound thanks to learning the ropes as Mario Cipollini's final lead-out man back in his formative years and his huge leg muscles generate the required power to outsprint his rivals.
His Liquigas team also looks a far stronger unit than main rival Thor Hushovd's Credit Agricole squad and that should have a huge bearing at the end of the sprint stages.
Bennati is known as 'the panther' on account of pouncing late in the final stages and, while he's sure to get plenty of competition from the likes of Hushovd, Robbie McEwen, Oscar Freire, Mark Cavendish and even teammate Filippo Pozzato, his consistency could just see him come out on top.
