Height (cm)

185.7

Body mass (kg)

70.8

Body fat (%)

9.8

Body Mass index (kg/m2)

20.1

Lactate Landmark Absolute/relative power (watts, watts/ kg) 1 mMol/L >

382/5.4

2mMol/L fixed (watts)

379/5.7

4mMol/l

419/5.9

Absolute/relative power (watts/watts/ kg) Power at VO2 peak

525/7.5

Absolute VO2 (L/min)/ Relative VO2 (ml/kg/ min) VO2 peak

5.9/84.6 To access Chris Froome’s full report, visit http:// www.gskhpl.com/news/ partnerships/chrisfroome-visits-hpl/ For these people it’s an unnatural environment, where the absence of the carrot of chasing a rider on the road fails to gee them up enough to produce their best. If the Tour was all about who had the highest physiological numbers, then why not load up the buses and have Christian Prudhomme conduct an en-masse lab test.

Mark Cavendish is a famous example of someone who hates the lab. Prior to his selection to the GB academy his numbers alone would never have suggested he’d turn into the rider he’s become, but such is his economy on a bike, unmatched ability to read a race and appetite for winning, he’s become one of the best sprinters ever.

At the other end of the spectrum is domestic TT star Michael Hutchinson, who, in his very readable book Faster (Bloomsbury, £12.99), refers to himself as a “terrific lab rat. I love it in there. I get as big a thrill from posting big numbers in the lab as I do from winning races”.

Froome was something of the anti-Cav, certainly prior to his breakthrough at the 2011 Vuelta; his coaches couldn’t understand why his lab results weren’t