Froome and Sky turn up the power
THERE had already been no shortage of fireworks at this year’s Tour de France but on the brutal ascent to this tiny ski station yesterday the race exploded once again.
It was also a day when the controversy surrounding the crash that led to Mark Cavendish’s withdrawal and Peter Sagan’s disqualification simmered on, with Cavendish calling last night for people to stop sending ‘vile and threatening comments on social media to me and my family’. He also congratulated the race jury on their ‘courage to eliminate the world champion from the Tour de France’.
But things were hotting up in the race too, with Fabio Aru producing an impressive attack to secure victory on stage five and a show of strength from both Chris Froome and Team Sky that felt even more significant.
Other teams were being decimated by the steep ramps of the final, twisting climb but the sight of six Sky riders sitting at the front of the peloton once again appeared ominous for their rivals when the same cyclists had already dominated the time trial.
In the end attacks by Aru and then Froome proved too much even for many of the main general classification contenders, with a burst of acceleration from Froome a mile from the summit breaking Nairo Quintana, Alberto Contador and his own team-mate and race leader, Geraint Thomas.
Thomas remains second this morning but it is Froome who is now in yellow, this climb marking another important moment in the Briton’s stellar career.
It was here, five years ago, that he emerged from the final 20 per cent gradient to take his first Tour stage win, leading Bradley Wiggins into yellow in the process.
But yesterday it was Froome who was being led by team-mates, Froome who ended the day in the leader’s jersey as he pursues that fourth Tour title.
That Richie Porte finished on exactly the same time — Froome sprinted past his friend and former teammate in the closing metres — seemed like an indication of what will follow over the next two-and-a-half weeks, although Froome thought it important to acknowledge the fact that Ireland’s Dan Martin and Romain Bardet also possessed the strength to go with him when he attacked.
‘We got a little preview of just where everyone is at,’ said Froome. ‘It did give us a glimpse, seeing Richie, Dan and Bardet there. It looks like it’s going to be a big battle.’