- News
- Reviews
- Bikes
- Accessories
- Accessories - misc
- Computer mounts
- Bags
- Bar ends
- Bike bags & cases
- Bottle cages
- Bottles
- Cameras
- Car racks
- Child seats
- Computers
- Glasses
- GPS units
- Helmets
- Lights - front
- Lights - rear
- Lights - sets
- Locks
- Mirrors
- Mudguards
- Racks
- Pumps & CO2 inflators
- Puncture kits
- Reflectives
- Smart watches
- Stands and racks
- Trailers
- Clothing
- Components
- Bar tape & grips
- Bottom brackets
- Brake & gear cables
- Brake & STI levers
- Brake pads & spares
- Brakes
- Cassettes & freewheels
- Chains
- Chainsets & chainrings
- Derailleurs - front
- Derailleurs - rear
- Forks
- Gear levers & shifters
- Groupsets
- Handlebars & extensions
- Headsets
- Hubs
- Inner tubes
- Pedals
- Quick releases & skewers
- Saddles
- Seatposts
- Stems
- Wheels
- Tyres
- Health, fitness and nutrition
- Tools and workshop
- Miscellaneous
- Tubeless valves
- Buyers Guides
- Features
- Forum
- Recommends
- Podcast
news
2013 Tour of Oman Stage 6 Chris Froome at start (© Bruno Bade:Muscat Muncipality)Chris Froome wants to dominate Tour de France for "six or seven years"
Chris Froome says he has set himself the goal of dominating the Tour de France for the remainder of the decade, and that he is relieved that team mate and defending champion Sir Bradley Wiggins is missing this year’s race through injury, since the absence of media speculation regarding Sky’s leadership and tactics will result in less pressure.
Despite a stellar 2013 to date, in an interview with The Times [£], the 28-year-old Froome said he is still getting used to being in the limelight and that what counts for him is results, not stardom.
“I am who I am, I am not some of the things I’ve been told that I am,” he said. “There are already a lot of people making opinions of me. It’s one of the things I am still adjusting to. I see comments on social media which are hard not to take offence to.”
“I don’t feel like I am looking for fame or looking to be recognised for something. I’ve got my goals, and personally where I want my career to go is to target the Tour, not just this year but for the next six or seven years. I am driven by that goal, not from a fame point of view.”
Born to British parents in Kenya, schooled in South Africa and now racing for Great Britain after initially representing the country of his birth, Froome has had a singular and often difficult journey to reach the top ranks of professional cycling.
The fact he has got there, with stage wins and podium positions in two of the three Grand Tours and an Olympic bronze medal in the time trial, is a sign if nothing else of his determination.
“When I focus on something, there is not much that can throw me off course,” he said. “That is my personality. Once I’ve set my mind on something, I’ll do everything I can towards it. I can become very self-immersed.”
Froome heads to Corsica for the start of the 100th edition of the Tour in a fortnight’s time as a strong favourite, following victories in the Tour of Oman, the Critérium International, the Tour de Romandie and, last week, the Critérium du Dauphiné.
The only rider to have got the better of him this year – Vincenzo Nibali in Tirreno-Adriatico, where Froome was second overall – misses the Tour, having targeted and won the Giro d’Italia, while the man many expect to be his biggest rival in France, Alberto Contador, looks nowhere near his best.
Indeed, until it was confirmed earlier this month that a knee injury meant that Wiggins, who abandoned the Giro midway through due to illness, wouldn’t be riding the Tour, it looked as though Froome’s greatest potential rival at the Tour would come from Sky’s own ranks – even though the team had recently publicly reiterated that he would be undisputed leader.
Reflecting on Wiggins’ absence, Froome said: “It’s a shame because with Bradley, there comes a certain feel of, ‘We’ve got the defending champion, we have more respect in the peloton.’ But it is also nice not to have that continuing pressure from the media.
“The last six months, every time I have been on the record, it’s probably been the first question: who is going to be the leader for the Tour? In that respect, it will be more relaxed from a media point of view in that we will not be constantly questioned on leadership and team tactics.”
In last year’s Tour, Froome was runner-up to Wiggins, and while the latter may be absent, the man who will lead Sky’s challenge in this year’s race believes that Richie Porte’s form – he finished second to Froome at the Dauphiné and the Critérium International, and won Paris-Nice – may have a psychological impact on rivals.
“An interesting element now, with Richie Porte sitting second twice, is in some people’s minds. They are going to have to work pretty hard to get a spot on the podium, let alone trying for the victory. It is probably moving the goalposts a bit.”
The relationship Froome has with Porte certainly seems a world away from the often strained partnership with Wiggins that became evident at times during last year’s Tour and again in recent months as the latter made noises about defending his title.
Neighbours in Monaco and close friends as well as training partners, Froome acknowledged that he and Porte have contrasting personalities.
“He’s very vocal,” he explained. There’s not a thought that goes through his mind that he won’t say, which makes it interesting in the peloton especially. He will always call a spade a spade. He’s very different to me.”
Porte’s success this year has been rewarded with an extension to his contract, and the Tasmanian is targeting the world championships later this year, and has also said he wants to lead Sky in next year’s Giro d’Italia.
Like Froome, Porte is 28, and with those opportunities ahead and his career entering its peak years, he doesn’t face the time pressures that may have been in part behind Wiggins’ desire to defend his title.
That said, three weeks’ racing is a long time and anything can happen, and in Porte, Team Sky have a very useful Plan B should anything go wrong with Froome’s challenge.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
Latest Comments
- jamesha100 1 hour 2 min ago
I have been in Belfast for work this week and have been shocked by the congestion around the city centre. There are lots of frustrated drivers...
- David9694 1 hour 24 min ago
Cyclists should be made to have insurance etc https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/24757516.four-vehicles-seize...
- A V Lowe 1 hour 55 min ago
On a bus the driver has a fully glazed double set of doors that give a direct view of any cyclist or pedestrian travelling right into the left side...
- matthewn5 2 hours 21 min ago
A friend in my cycling club has a new Ribble Allroad, I think the model with 105, and when I asked how he was finding it (before reading this...
- Rendel Harris 2 hours 30 min ago
Well yes but that's if you're looking at an equation x = n x 3 where n is any number less than 5. If you're looking for a number that is three...
- check12 3 hours 47 min ago
Get them back? They've never gone away for me, cheap tdf winning bikes on eBay with rim brakes and cheap rim brake aero wheels, just don't tell...
- Simon E 4 hours 30 min ago
It used to be called Buy Nothing Day as a protest against the the Black Friday discounting madness. The constant BF adverts, promos and stuff...
- chrisonabike 6 hours 46 min ago
Apologies - you're quite right! Something about presentation and comprehension...
- wtjs 7 hours 6 min ago
You can find out whether they're lying about 'taking action' by asking them what they actually did. When they refuse to tell you, citing various...
Add new comment
39 comments
Froome on Wiggins on the BBC today:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/22957697
Oh...no.......!!
For my money he won le tour last year and he is a whole lot more humble self sacrificing pleasant a character than sideburns
@Sam1 - absolutely. He says, 'targeting', as in he will construct his racing year around the Tour. Very tabloid reporting by road.cc.
@farrell - just for the record, not all dullards are joyless.
When will the fantasy TdF open? I want to start tinkering!
Simon, have to take issue with the word you have chosen to put in Froome's mouth, based on that interview. I've read ydays Times interview over and over again to make sure I'm not going mad - AT NO POINT does he use the word DOMINATE. This is an incredibly emotive word, given the history with Armstrong - and my conclusion has to be that this is a bit of trolling on your part.
Here is the paragraph from the interview, cut and pasted here:
"I ask if he is the opposite to Wiggins, which is probably a lazy question, but elicits an interesting answer. “I don’t feel like I am looking for fame or looking to be recognised for something,” Froome says. “I’ve got my goals, and personally where I want my career to go is to target the Tour, not just this year but for the next six or seven years. I am driven by that goal, not from a fame point of view.”
I'm sorry, because generally I like your writing.
But this is out of order.
'He has been around a while, was the only rider to challenge Cobo for the 2011 Vuelta. He could have distanced Wiggins by some margin on stages in last year's Tour. His 2012 Vuelta challenge would surely have been different if he hadn't already worked for Wiggins and still come away with 2nd at the Tour. So far he has owned the stage races he's entered in 2013.'
50% of these arguments are of course just speculation. I could have won last year's tour had I a) been really good on a bike and b) been employed by a team and selected to ride the Tour. And c) Had a lot of luck. So hey, I'll target 6 or 7 too.
This is such a useless comment it's surely worth repeating.
In his dreams, s** are setting themselves up for a fall big time.
I must say.. I really hope nobody dominates anything for that many years!
I want a Tour with lots of action (like the giro) where trains disintegrate up insane gradients, riders like EBH are allowed to go in breaks and where in the end the winner is not only one with a great team behind him, but also made for some legendary solo achievements. One can dream, eh?
I must say I have stared to enjoy the Giro more than the tour. The tour is too "mainstream" and polished.
Find it hard to warm to Froome. Seems a bit of a cold fish.
I wish Team Sky would learn their lesson and stop their mouths running away with themsleves. Inner confidence is fine; bigging yourself up to that degree just makes you look a bit foolish when it (almost inevitably) doesn't work out. Three weeks, anything can happen.
You only have to watch The Apprentice to see how people look when they shout themselves up then fail.
Don't get me wrong, I wish him the best of luck for the Tour but please Team Sky - shut up and let the legs do the talking.
The thing is that these interviews are conducted with no Sky PR person controlling whats said or what goes on record. They dont control what Froome says any more than they do Wiggins, in these types of interviews - or Froome's girlfriend on the innumerable times she goes off on one.
After watching the Dauphine, especially the final stage I can't see a real challenger if he's healthy and stays upright. When he attacked with Porte riding his wheel he knocked half a minute off the the lead lead in metres. If he hadn't tried to nurse Porte he'd have won stage easy.
And have to say riding in France isn't the SAME as riding in Spain for Contador, Rodriguez or Valverde. IMHO. if you see my meaning.
I do believe I understand you perfectly. I've said in the past I'd pay good money to see Froome's SRM files from the Vuelta, because I don't think he was tired. I think he was fine, which brings us back to your point.
Bronze at the Olympics; 5 pedant points for me
Of course!
Bum.
Getting through the first week with your team mates unscathed is 75% of the battle.
Inner confidence is a good thing.
Slipping into hubris generally isn't...
Chris Froome wants to dominate Tour de France for "six or seven years" Eh? I read he wants to target it, a bit different to dominate it.
"Team Sky leader in 100th edition of cycling's biggest race also speaks of his relief at Bradley Wiggins' absence" I read he was just relieved the speculation was over.
Gotta love the medja
.
If Bertie stays clean, biiig if, he wont beat Froome. Then Nibali has to be tempted to ride the Tour next year again which would be good. Hard to see anyone beating Froome this year though Evans push on until he reaches an altitude of 1200mts and his old lungs run out of puff. Rodriguez is not to be forgotten though. Porte for the Worlds is an interesting one.
Last year ? O.o
I don't think he is good enough to win it yet.
I'll also say that I don't really want him to win either. It's not that I dislike him, it's just that he seems really dull. Maybe a bit Tour win might elevate him from being a joyless dullard though?
Hope he isn't a one horse pony the way Armstrong tried to be. He needs to go out and win all the major tours, and that includes winning more than one in a year, to be included amongst the best.
Good luck to him, and to Wiggins on his comeback from injury. And may they both be able to succeed alongside each other
He has yet to win one, so let's not get ahead of ourselves.
Come on Bertie!!!!
The headline makes him seem more arrogant than his actual quotes suggest (i.e. he wants to ride the tour for a few more years).
Of course winning a grand tour isn't easy, but nevertheless shut up Froomey, because at the end of the day you've not won the Tour and you lost the Vuelta to Contador.
When did Froome lose the Vuelta to Contador? News to me
"...where I want my career to go is to target the Tour..." doesn't make it sound like he's planning on being a domestique
might be getting carried away, he good but not that good. come on
I disagree.
I wouldn't bet against him regardless that genuine contenders are few. He has the engine and I think he has a steely toughness about him and determination that will drive him to realise his potential. He's a natural climber, even if he doesn't look as pretty dancing on the pedals as Contadope, and can time trial very well - silver at the Olympics, 2nd only to Wiggins in both ITTs at the 2012 Tour.
He has been around a while, was the only rider to challenge Cobo for the 2011 Vuelta. He could have distanced Wiggins by some margin on stages in last year's Tour. His 2012 Vuelta challenge would surely have been different if he hadn't already worked for Wiggins and still come away with 2nd at the Tour. So far he has owned the stage races he's entered in 2013.
Is the crackling tension at the Tour what set fans against him? Or is it the absence of a dated clothing style/fashion brand contract? Or does he need a dodgy haircut and 'man of the people who tells it like it is' image for us to like him? I don't know but, unlike many on cycling forums, I like what I see both on and off the bike.
Pages