END OF THE ROAD
Curtain comes down on iconic Tour de France double act as Ineos kingpin Brailsford shows ruthless streak
TOGETHER they were Britain’s blazing saddles in the peloton, our Batman and Robin.
But as cycling godfather Sir Dave Brailsford brought the curtain down on Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas as a Tour de France double act, two great champions discovered they were as disposable as a superhero’s mask and cape.
At face value, Brailsford’s decision to axe both Froome and Thomas from the Team Ineos squad for Le Tour’s 107th edition, starting in Nice on August 29, was a straightforward act of brutal selection. But to fans of a sporting institution, discarding two kings of the road with five Yellow Jerseys between them looks like an act of corporate vandalism.
Froome, who will now seek an eighth Grand Tour title in October at the Vuelta in Spain, diplomatically spoke of “moving the goalposts” on his return from a terrifying 40mph crash last year.
However, Thomas, whose triumph in Le
Tour in 2018 was one of sport’s feelgood stories, struggled to contain his anger after being told that he will lead the Ineos charge at the Giro d’Italia instead, sniffing: “I’ll try to get some sort of positive out of this year.”
Froome’s omission had been signposted to some extent because he had yet to regain full throttle after breaking so many bones at the Criterium du Dauphine 14 months ago that his skeleton was rearranged like skittles in a bowling alley. Demonstrably short of racing fitness, he trailed home 1hr 26min behind this year’s Dauphine winner Daniel Martinez last week.
If he is to add a record-equalling fifth Tour de France crown to his collection, Froome will have to do it beyond his 36th birthday – in the colours of new team Israel Start-Up Nation, whom he joins in 2021.
But the Vuelta at least gives him a chance to bow out after 10 years at Ineos, and its forerunner Team Sky, in a blaze of glory.
Froome said: “It’s definitely a readjustment for me, moving the goalposts from the Tour de France to the Vuelta. Given where I’ve come
It’s a lot more realistic to target the Vuelta
from, I’m in a very fortunate position to be back racing already.
“But I’m not confident I can fulfil the necessary job that would be needed from me at this year’s Tour de France and it’s a lot more realistic to target theVuelta.
“The recovery is complete: I don’t have any pain or lingering issues, but I’m still coming back to that full level of fitness.”
For Thomas, 34, the shock of being axed from this year’s Tour was nothing less than seismic, given that it is only two years since he won the race. When he won the holy grail in 2018, it was reward for all his sacrifice as a superdomestique, supporting
Froome.
And despite crashes, punctures and landslides, the pride of Wales still managed to finish as runner-up last year.
If Froome’s omission was harsh but not entirely unexpected, this was a real kick in the teeth for Thomas.
He looked as thrilled as a wet weekend on Barry Island as he told the Team Ineos social media channels: “It’s nice finally to have a firm plan in place where I know exactly what I’m doing.
“I’ll try to get some sort of positive out of this year.
“The Giro is something I’ve always wanted to go back to because I’ve always enjoyed Italy – the roads, the fans, the food – and it’s a country where I love to race.”
Brailsford, who has never picked his Tour de France squads on sentiment, explained his decisions in the language of sugar-coated corporate bluster. He said: “Chris is a real legend of our sport, and is a true champion who has demonstrated incredible grit and determination to come back from his crash last year.
“We want to support him to compete for another Grand Tour title and the Vuelta gives him that little bit more time to continue his progress to the top level.
“Geraint will target the Giro and take on the opportunity to double up his Tour de France win with another Grand Tour title, with the aim of being the first Welshman to win it.”
I’ll try to get some sort of positive out of the year