Froome told to lay off trebles
CHRIS FROOME has been told it’s impossible to win all three Grand Tours in the same year.
Froome won the Vuelta on Sunday, only the third man ever to win in Spain in the same season as the Tour de France.
The Brit has refused to rule out a crack at the Giro d’Italia next year if it doesn’t interfere with his bid for a fifth Tour de France.
But former winner Stephen Roche believes claiming a full house of Grand Tour titles in 12 months is mission impossible.
It’s never been done and the Irishman said: “I think it’s actually humanly impossible, especially in today’s day and age. The Tour de France now is so important, the top guys all hit form for that.
“To go out and win the Giro is very hard because of the conditions in May.
“Going to the Tour de France on the back of winning the Giro is always very complicated.”
Froome has joined Frenchmen Jacques Anquetil (1963) and Bernard Hinault (1978) as the only men to have won the Tour and Vuelta back-to-back. Roche said: “Chris was well prepared.
“It’s a very difficult feat, that’s why he’s only the third guy in history to have done the double.”
Froome plans to compete at the World Championships in Norway next, saying: “I will line up in the team time trial with the rest of the lads and after that I think I’ll take a bit of a break.”
Team Sky boss Dave Brailsford said: “Every now and again you see an athlete, a world-class athlete, right at the top of their game who just gets it all right. That’s what we’ve got in Chris.”