CATCH ME IF YOU CAN

Chris Froome on leading the chase for his Tour de hat-trick

Words Graham Willgoss

EAM SKY’S LEAD MAN IS TOO nine mountain stages, four summit going to happen. You don’t know if you will MODEST TO SAY IT HIMSELF, so Sport finishes – including the Beast of , have the legs. So if I feel good, I’ll go for it.” T will say it for him: is , on Bastille Day – and two hot favourite for the . Even individual trials over three weeks. five-time Tour champion has For the contenders, CLIMBS AND PUNISHMENT said the Brit “hasn’t really got any rivals”. the first week is normally, largely, a case Froome’s attacks – when he drops the “It’s a massive compliment coming from of staying out of trouble. This year, there hammer – are violent. Witness Stage 5 of someone like Eddy,” Froome tells us. is a medium mountain stage as early as this month’s du Dauphine, the “I wish I shared his train of thought there, the fifth day – 216km from Limoges to Le classic week-long stage race warm-up for because I definitely feel as if this is going Lioran, with a summit finish – that will the Tour. In the first proper test in the to be one of the most competitive Tours likely bring the GC contenders to the fore. mountains, Sky’s set the pace, we’ve seen in the past few years. “It’s an interesting first week,” says ensuring the front group were on the limit. “ [Movistar] has had Froome. “It’s very hilly. How decisive those Froome sat behind former teammate another year to get used to the pressure [of climbs are going to be, I’m not too sure. (BMC) before launching himself being among the favourites]. So I imagine But certainly in 2012, 2013 and 2015, I’ve beyond the Australian’s reach. It moved he’s going to be at his best. As well as managed to win the first mountain-top Froome into the GC lead, and he remained [] – given that finish. I felt as if that’s a really good way there relatively untroubled. Classic Sky. his focus is more the TdF this year, I’m for me to start the Tour and to hang on to It is that power and control that make expecting him to be back at his best.” a lead, rather than trying to gain in the last Froome odds-on to be the first man Froome’s unassuming nature is genuine. few days [of the race].” since in 1995 to (legally) He deals in facts, not false modesty. As well That, broadly, was Froome’s strategy for successfully defend his Tour title. There he might, given he will have plenty else winning the Tour in 2013 and 2015. Take are other factors in his favour, such as the to contend with (other than the weight of time early, control the race and hang on to absence of cobbles and those two ITTs expectation and his closest rivals) when the end. Same again for 2016, right? – only (Etixx Quick-Step), the hardest, greatest bicycle race on earth “If I feel I can take time, I’m going to,” (Giant-Alpecin) and Rohan begins a week on Saturday, on the island of says Froome. “I’m not going to tactically Dennis (BMC) are likely to stick time into Mont Saint-Michel in the English Channel. sit up and think: ‘I’ll take that time a little Froome for the contre-la-montre on Stage 13 From there, Stage 1 will see the peloton bit later.’ Because you never know what’s (37km, uphill start, mainly flat).k bridge to the mainland, battling crosswinds as it skirts 188km east along the coast to Utah Beach in Normandy, one of the “YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT’S GOING D-Day landings beaches. That’s the first TO HAPPEN. YOU DON’T KNOW IF stage of 21, in a 3,519km-long race that

Bryn Lennon/Getty Images will take in three neighbouring countries, YOU WILL HAVE THE LEGS”

49 All yellow?

Three riders who will not win the Maillot Jaune, but might try it on for size

Marcel Kittel ETIXX QUICK-STEP Won two stages of this year’s Giro d’Italia. Beat Mark “G IS NOT A THREAT. IT’S GOOD Cavendish to the line at – the HE’S SNAPPING AT MY HEELS IF unofficial sprinters’ I’M NOT DELIVERING THE GOODS” world championship. Pan-flatStage 1 is his for the taking.

Six days later, the 17km time trial on likely will this time, while BMC will go with Stage 18, from Sallanches to Megeve, and new recruit Porte. could see a grimpeurs showdown between “Maybe it’s a safeguard against all Quintana, Contador and Froome. the crashing that has been happening in Does Froome feel like he will be the past two years,” says Froome. “It’s carrying the weight of expectation up probable you will lose a leader in the first those climbs? “If I compare where I am week or so. It always helps to have – like G now to the beginning of 2014, having won was last year – two guys up there on GC.” the Tour the year before, I feel a lot more And what of ? “G is confident in myself, a lot more at ease,” lifting his game in terms of stage racing,” TINKOFF he says. “I don’t feel the whole world is on says Froome. “People asked last year if it my shoulders like it was then. was possible that he could also get on to World champion has “I was prepared for it last time, but the podium. He wasn’t far off. A few days not won a Tour stage until you have been through it, and been short of and he was still in the top since 2013, but had through that build-up to the Tour for the five. So I don’t see why it’s not possible. an incredible seven second time consecutively, that you really He can definitely do it. He has the ability.” podium finishes in last get to fully appreciate it. There was a lot of Is Thomas a threat? “Not a threat, but year’s race. Has the pressure after winning in 2013. Not to say it’s good there’s someone snapping at my punch to get away on that was the reason I didn’t win in 2014.” heels if I’m not up to delivering the goods. a hilly Stage 2. In fact, Froome quit the Tour two years So it’s a good pressure on me also.” ago on Stage 5 – the cobbled stage – after The pressure on Froome’s shoulders crashing for the third time in 24 hours. won’t lift when the Tour reaches Paris on “The crash that happened to me there July 24. Instead he will switch focus to at could have happened to anyone,” says least one, if not two, Olympic gold medals Froome. “It was just a touch of wheels at in the road race and time trial in Rio. the wrong time. That’s not to say that isn’t “The Tour is my focus of the season; going to happen this year – we’ve seen how then it’s a case of seeing how I get through many crashes there were in the first week those last few days, if I get to that point,” of last year’s Tour. It could happen again.” says Froome on how he will approach the Julian period between the Tour and Rio. Alaphilippe It will be a long summer away from ETIXX QUICK-STEP PARIS AND PRESSURE home. But Froome, now father to seven- For any rider targeting a , all it month-old Kellan, is keen to make it count. The Future of French takes is a moment’s loss of concentration “I’d much rather be at home with my took the Youth at 60km/h and the focus of your season son, seeing him grow, but if I’m not going Classification at the is gone. Sky ensured Geraint Thomas to be there for that, it’s going to be for a Dauphine and won (pictured above) was challenging into the good reason,” he says. “And I want him to the . third week in 2015, to negate such a crash be proud of his old man one day. To look Big guns might allow devastating their plans. Movistar had back and be proud of what I’ve achieved.” him to stretch his legs

Quintana and , as they @grahamwillgoss on Stage 5. All pictures Getty Images

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