I have really enjoyed watching Chris Froome’s rehab over a near death, career defining crash at last years Dauphine. Coming into the Dauphine, he had one three Grand Tours in the previous 24 months (Tour de France 2017, Vuelta 2017, Giro 2018 and then third at TdF 2018. He was a co favourite for the TdF. Life can change so quickly. Watching his rehab, learning againt to walk in the fall of 2019, getting back on the bike, doing his first races at the UAE tour in 2019 was great to watch and putting the love/hate of Sky-Ineos aside, you just want to see an athlete succeed.
After Covid19, he sucked at Dauphine, was excluded from Ineos TdF, given a chance to ride at the Vuelta, proceeded to kind of suck at events like Liege Bastogne Liege and then starting the Vuelta was immediately shed off the back losing 10’s of minutes.
But like most of us, trying to make it back, he has not given up, he kept plugging, helping the team where he could, even did some solid pulls later in the Vuelta and was a key helper to almost bring Carapaz to within 28 seconds of the win.
Today he got awarded 2011 Vuelta, the one where he was Wiggins’ helper until he was not. Then 2012 Wiggo helper and gettting his own chance in 2013.
Great to see this moment
He won me over winning bonus seconds doing this:
This attack a few days later catching the peloton napping and jumping with Sagan + Bodnar + Thomas
Col de Finistre Giro raid (RIP Nicolas Portal, who architected that)
Losing Vuelta 2016 during the ambush to Formigal by Contador + Quintana
I was never a big Sky fan, but became a Froome fan in spite of the team he was on. Today was the last day there, and now its on to Israel startup nation. Although it is unlikely he will be who he was in 2017/18, I hope he can be a bigger factor, either helping Dan Martin or Dan Martin maybe even helping him. Would have loved to see him and Richie Porte reunited!