Froome to compete in world championships

Four-times Tour de France winner Chris Froome will follow up his first Vuelta a Espana victory by competing in the team and individual time trials at the road world championships starting in Norway at the weekend. British Cycling head coach Iain Dyer said in a statement yesterday that the 32-year-old would take one of Britain’s two places for the individual time trial. Dyer added that he expected the 31 kilometre course in Bergen, with a 3.4km climb up Mount Floyen to the finish, to play to the rider’s strengths. Froome had said after becoming the first Briton to win the Vuelta last weekend, and also the third man to complete a Tour-Vuelta double in the same year, that he aimed to compete for Sky in Sunday’s team time trial and then “it’s probably time for me to put my feet up”. The men’s elite individual time trial is on the following Wednesday. Froome, who will not take part in the road race in Bergen, won the Olympic time trial bronze at last year’s Games in Rio de Janeiro. Mark Cavendish, the 2011 road race champion who broke his shoulder during the Tour de France in July, and Geraint Thomas, also injured in the Tour, will be absent after withdrawing from selection.