A Froome with a tinted view of the great race

Team Sky can’t shake questions raising doubts on drugs record.

When the 104th Tour de France began with a 14km time trial around Dusseldorf this morning (NZT) once again the focus was on Team Sky.

The British outfit have never been crowd favourites on the Tour, partly because they ride in such a dominant way at the front of the peloton, looking to control every stage.

They also have a bigger budget than other teams, strive to have a more professional approach, with their buzz word being ‘marginal gains’.

They believe making lots of one per cent improvements over things ranging from meals, equipment, sleeping and tactics adds up to a significant advantage over their rivals.

But it’s come at a cost. Their riders have had urine thrown at them and been spat at by spectators on the Tour, while the ‘jiffy bag’ controversy has brought into doubt their spotless record on doping.

The mysterious contents of a jiffy bag delivered from the UK to the team’s then doctor Richard Freeman during the 2011 Criterium du Dauphine haven’t been revealed, but they have raised plenty of eyebrows.

An inquiry by UK Anti Doping into the team’s practices has been going on for eight months and part of its investigation is into the 55 doses of corticosteroid triamcinolone that were ordered by Team Sky from 2010 to 2013.

Some of this was given to Sir Bradley Wiggins, but it’s unknown and undocumented where other doses ended up.

While there have been no allegations of any wrong doing by Chris Froome, as the team’s leader he’s the one who carries the can for what the team does and last week he had to publicly state that he wasn’t the recipient of any of those doses.

‘‘I certainly haven’t been offered triamcinolone in the team,’’ said Froome, who insists it’s something he’s never taken.

He also said he hadn’t given much thought to it being made public that Team Sky had bought triamcinolone.

‘‘It’s not something I’ve gone and done my own investigation on,’’ he said.

‘‘I’ve been so focused on trying to get ready for July and I think the investigation has been happening in the background.

‘‘I’ve been happy to let it be, let the professionals deal with that.

‘‘It hasn’t been my experience that triamcinolone has been handed around freely as has been suggested.’’

Froome knows he’s going to be asked countless more questions about this over the three weeks of the Tour and that’s a shame, because the 32-year-old is going for his fourth victory in the race.

That would put him behind only Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain, who each won the tour five times. No-one these days recognises the seven wins Lance Armstrong has.

‘‘It would just be incredible to win a fourth Tour,’’ Froome said.

‘‘I want to try and be up there with the guys who have won Their riders have had urine thrown at them and been spat at by spectators on the Tour. multiple Tours. They are seen as part of Tour de France history.’’

His main rival this year will be one of his best friends, Richie Porte, of Australia.

Porte is a former Team Sky rider and helped Froome win his first two Tours.

The Tasmanian left Sky before the start of last season to join BMC Racing Team and go for a yellow jersey on the Champs-Elysees himself.

‘‘I think there are maybe a dozen riders who are in with a shot of winning the Tour this year, but I think my main rival is Richie,’’ Froome said.

‘‘I’ve said for a long time that Richie has got the potential to win the Tour de France, it’s just a matter of time until everything works out for him.’’

Jack Bauer will be riding in it for the fourth time, it’s the second Tour for George Bennett, while Dion Smith and Paddy Bevin will be making their debuts.

None of the four Kiwis will be going for a yellow jersey and will be largely tasked with helping out the leader of their respective teams.

However, they all should get opportunities to get into breakaways to snatch a stage win.