Chris Froome says he almost left Sky in 2011, tells of tension with Bradley Wiggins

Comparing Froome to Kevin Pietersen is plain stupid and misses the obvious fact that individual riders are recorded as the winners of bike races and teams as winners of cricket matches. And lets not forget that Froome walked the talk by winning the Tour. A better comparison for Wiggins/Froome/Sky situation would be Formula 1 where team orders sometimes rob the public of seeing the best driver win races.

What I find interesting is that both have been seen to publicly put the differences aside at training camps. Sir Bradley has also said he'll help Froome in this year's Tour. I think he knows that he won't win, unless there's a catastrophic failure by Froome and the team can pull him along.

So either Sir Bradley knows about the content of the book, which is possible or Froome really has thrown and allen key in the proverbial cassette and chain. I can't imagine that the Team Sky management haven't sanctioned this book. I'd go even further to speculate that contractually, if a rider wants to release a book they get the nod from the team. Otherwise it could be very damaging to the team and their big name sponsor. If they have no knowledge of this book, to me it's Froome that comes off very badly. Make up in public with a team mate and then bitch about him in a book, just before the biggest race in the world. Not so smart if you ask me.

This isn't just about a single rider these days, it about how much money the sponsor will make, what ever the cost. Get that SKY emblazoned jersey out there, on the podium, in the break, on the finish line and let the world's viewers know who they are.

Wiggins is a class act, but I do not think he can go to any 3 week tour expecting to win these days. The Vuelta and Giro have too much climbing, often of the steep type which Wiggins struggles with and not enough TT's. The steep hills are also harder for Sky to control. The Tour is a better bet, but he still needs more TT's and fewer brutal mountains to have a chance. He would also need the Sky team to do the 100kms team juggernaught thing perfectly most stages. But I think that there are plenty of Quintanas and Urans and Nibalis and Contadors who would can do OK TT's and would pounce in the mountains if Sky faltered 1 step. But Froome can do a good TT too and is one of the best climbers. It makes Sky's job a lot easier if you can deliver someone like Froome into the last 10kms with say Porte as support. With Froome you know that he can stick with the best, or maybe leave them behind. With Wiggins it is always a defensive battle.

Quote "A new deal
It was immediately after the Vuelta that Froome signed a new, three-year deal with Sky, but the 29-year-old says that he was tempted by offers from rival teams that were able to guarantee him undisputed leadership in major stage races." End Quote.

So he had offers of undisputed number one at other teams but he chose to stay at Sky, Why?

Because they offered him a chance to win races?

No!

Because they offered him more money!

As other have commented, another case of Pitersen-itis; where they have a bigger opinion of their importance and value than the people who employ them.

If he thinks he is so good then his chance will come soon to prove it. A 3 year contract signed after the 2011 Vuelta will mean that his option will be up later this summer and then let's see who wants to employ him.

The timing is a tad suspect. Some years ago you knew the TdF was coming up when a new book was launched exposing LA. I suppose now he's off the scene the publishers just have to make do with some Wiggo/Dawg rivalry...

My respect for Chris "me me me" Froome has dissipated.

Wiggins wins the TOC wow, where were all the bigger boys playing, all at the Giro. Wiggo is just a time trialist a soloist he does not understand the meaning of team player, the minute wiggo gets a chance he will try to put time into Froome via the time trials and then force Brailsford into handing over the reigns to Sir Bradley. Froomey has the members of sky on his side, would Thomas have rode all the way with a fracture for brad i doubt it, they all respect froomey as he is a genuine team leader not just a wheel sucker.

In 2012, Froome supported by Wiggins was a weaker combination than Wiggins supported by Froome, it just was.

Froome was due his shot, he got it, he won.

All professional Sportsmen should study Jenson Button to ensure maximum team and public support.

Unless you want to end up as some sort of hybrid of Yaya Toure and Andy Murray.

Froome was the stronger in most of the 2011 Vuelta and 2012 Tour, despite working for Wiggins. Working for someone else takes up a lot of energy, but Froome was consistantly up there with Wiggins and doubtless was chomping at the bit at times. I like Wiggins, but he can be mentally fragile. I can understand why he was leader - he had a longer spell as a contender and the 2012 Tour suited him. This would explain why the team backed him and with the importance of winning the Tour, I can understand why they protected him 'mentally' and did not want to risk it all for a stage win and then also risk infighting.

I think Froome may suffer from 'Kevin Peterson-itis', which could be summed up as a self-belief in your own talent and will to win which sometimes makes you say or do things impulsively for good or worse. But I think plenty of Brits resent them because they were brought up abroad and show a 'un-British' self belief which is not generally how we like to see our sportsmen. If Froome had a little more self-depreciating humour and was less serious at times, he would probably be more liked by the UK fans, although he would still probably struggle to win the PR war when it came to 'our Bradley vs that Froome'.

I apologize: Sky don't do dope.
Wait and see…
But above all, don't mention enhancing products anymore.
Keep it quiet! (it could annoy "the sport", the fans, the athletes, the business and the brits).

As 1 said above 'its not looking good - for both of them...'

Wiggins book was a bit of a 'I'm a kid' fest.

I suppose you could sum this as;

The other side of the story - and how ugly it is; though sticking to a plan has lost Sky's Thomas the yellow on the Roubaix Steve... back in 2010...

I can see both sides.

Its down to Wiggins to not retort...

As 1 said above 'its not looking good - for both of them...'

Wiggins book was a bit of a 'I'm a kid' fest.

I suppose you could sum this as;

The other side of the story - and how ugly it is; though sticking to a plan has lost Sky's Thomas the yellow on the Roubaix stage... back in 2010...

I can see both sides.

Its down to Wiggins to not retort...

Ok, this saddens me. The timing of this release has to be to derail the significant momentum W Higgins has been generating to get a tour slot.

What really saddens me is that, as mentioned, this release must have had Sky's clearance.

I have always felt that Wiggins treatment by Sky has been far of the mark deserved for Britain's first tour winner.

As for the 2012 tour, it's easy to think Froome wsi best, but actually I think that's questionable. Ok on two occasions he was better on the final climb, but the second of those occasions, Wiggins had theoretically just won the tour, and it looked like a 'can't be arsed' rather than simply couldn't... But everyone forgets the times wheen Froome struggled, and the time he lost in the tt's. Not to even start to look into the psychological advantage Froome had in not bearing the pressure of leadership.

I just hope Froome has the goods to back up the repercussions of this release come July.

Imagine: half a day on the saddle, journalists, hotel, massages, debriefing, eating, sleeping, briefing, journalists, transfer, doctors, physio, etc.
and don't forget the possibility of the use of banned performance-enhancing drugs (hiding, smuggling, logistics, doctor).
Tough job - and they both have enough energy left to argue and write books!

this is pure gold for TdF organisers and media. Inter team rivalry between two of Britains highest profile cyclists before Yorkshire grande depart. Don't think I'll be buying the book though. I admire Chris Froomes bike riding skills, but not his attempts to make money out of selling a book, zzzzz.

Just go back to the 2012 tour, when Froome dropped Wiggins. If he was a dedicated team-mate, who had been told to lead Wiggo up the mountain, he would have kept an eye on Wiggo's front wheel by looking down between his legs as he pedalled........that's how you do it. But no, Froome just sprinted off and then looked round to see where Wiggo was..........playing to the world audience.

Froome lies through his teeth and that's why he is disliked so much. Oh no, there is one person..........Ritchie likes him!

From her frequent tweeting and media exposure, I can't help but feel that behind Froome there's an attention-seeking, ambitious Cound egging him on.

Experts believe that Froome has been suffering with a chronic case of Kevin Pietersen syndrome.

Totally understand where Froome is coming from having to play second fiddle to a one-trick-pony with a very questionable temperament. The best rider didn't win the Tour in 2012. If the best rider had been beaten by a drugged up cheat everybody would be up in arms, but being beaten by a management team that didn't have the spine to stand up to Wiggins and his fragile ego is perfectly acceptable because he's a good bloke? The whole thing was a farce - I binned my Sky jersey after that Tour.

One might just think that Froome is already in negotiation for next season with team ...... Well not sky. Although it is suspected that his current contract runs until the end of 2016

Unless obviously his book is being published with team management blessing, or at least tolerance. Which then asks where could Wiggins future be, with just two seasons before retirement probably not grand tours but curtain classics would perhaps be a reasonable objective.

The other factor to throw into the mix is the Sky sponsorship itself. The teams original 2010 objective was to have a British winner of the TDF with 5 years the implication being that the original sponsorship deal ran for 5 years. It can not be argued that Sky has failed to deliver on it's objectives. Also Wiggins resent win in the Amgen Tour of California is a much needed exposure in a big market. However, this has to be set against it's failure for another year to mount a serious assault on Italy's Giro were some of it's sponsorship comes from.

So how does Sky maintain it's sponsorship and add value to that sponsorship. Yes it has to remain the force to be contended with in the TDF and one week races. So keeping Froome in the medium term may be necessary. However, it also it needs to be a force in the Giro, Vuelta (although I for one have enjoyed they're forced buccaneering in this years edition) and probably increase it's exposure in the one day classics.

The rumored return of Henao and a well Richie Porte may help address the Giro/Vuelta issue, but they are also at sometime going to want their shot at the TDF. So Sky may well also have to bring in one of the up and coming young guns to strengthen they're Grand Tour line up depending on Peter Kennaugh's development.

The classics is a more thorny issue an Sky's achilles heel. This season has shown there is a nucleus there Bradley Wiggins (despite Fabian Cancellara guffaws before Paris Roubaix) , Ian Stannard and Geraint Thomas (although he has stated a preference for stage racing) but the line up requires strengthening and the preparation improving.

How did this start... oh yes Froome's book, definitely poor form and something I'll wait until it reaches the charity shops shelves before I read it. As for it's timing before the TDF... umm interesting it would suggest that he is perhaps frightened that he does not have much of a chance this year. As one would assume a launch would be preferable after winning the TDF, although a win might help to clear unsold stock so maybe his publishing strategy is right.

This is going to be a really dull book, isn't it? Froome can ride a bike, but is quite boring in everything else... The only thing interesting about him is that he and Wiggo don't get on, which is also getting boring now.

The Pot and The Kettle entered a bike race...

I wonder how realistic CF's suggesting that BW would just abandon when in the lead of the Tour just because a team mate attacked him.

Hardly Prost/Senna is it?