What's a Tour de France without a little - or a lot - of rumours circulating? British pro cycling Chris Froome is already getting his fair share of tongues wagging, thanks to the omission of team mate Sir Bradley Wiggins in this year's Team Sky line-up. But let's focus for now on Froome. Last year’s overall Tour de France winner (the tour’s century anniversary), he’s coming back to defend his yellow jersey.
News Update - Chris Froome crashed out in stage 5
Find out more - 2014 Tour de France route guide
But most recently the Kenyan born, South African raised, British national Team Sky cyclist has suffered a disappointing race in the Criterium du Dauphine. Read on…
Where’s Froome best?
Climbing and on time trials.
Froome’s team – present and past
As mentioned, Froome is racing for the British cycling powerhouse, Team Sky, which he joined in 2010. Previous to Sky Froome has raced for Team Barloworld (2008 & 2009) and Konica-Minolta (2007).
The Criterium du Dauphine Libere
Froome has so far this year enjoyed two wins – the Tour of Oman and the Tour de Normandie. However if 2014 were Groundhog year, then Froome would have won the recent Criterium du Dauphine Libere (as he did in 2013, along with the Tour de Romandie and Tour of Oman) and back it up with another win in this year’s Tour de France. However, as cycling has shown us time and time again, things are never that cut and dry. Froome placed tenth in the Criterium leaving the world to speculate about what’s in store come July…
What’s a Therepeutic Use Exemption (TUE)?
Froome is an asthmatic and has in the past been vulnerable to chest infections that according to his team ‘exacerbate’ his condition. A TUE is a formal application to apply to use a substance that is otherwise on the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) banned list. Earlier this year the team’s doctor prescribed prednisolone (a corticosteroids used in the treatment of inflammatory conditions) for a chest infection Froome had developed prior to Liege-Bastogne-Liege. Froome’s TUE was not granted until April 29th (he pulled out of Liege-Bastogne-Liege on the 27th). The UCI maintained that the whole process was entirely transparent.
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The Career Highlights
There’s plenty to speak of:
2013
Tour de France overall winner
Criterium de Dauphine overall winner
Tour de Romandie overall winner
Criterium International overall winner
Tour of Oman overall winner
See who took the 2013 Jerseys' - 2013 Tour de France Results
2012
London Olympics Individual Time Trial bronze medal
Tour de France second overall
2011
Vuelta a Espana second overall
