Froome has hat-trick in sights

CHRIS Froome’s Team Sky squad for the Giro d’Italia has been named as the Briton seeks a third successive Grand Tour win.

The 32-year-old’s participation in the Tour of Italy, which begins in Jerusalem on May 4 and concludes in Rome on May 27, is under scrutiny.

Froome is seeking to prove his innocence over an adverse finding for elevated levels of salbutamol at last year’s La Vuelta.

As the asthma medication is a specified substance, he can continue racing.

Froome, who denies wrongdoing, faces a ban if he cannot explain the readings and a ruling in the case is widely expected in June.

Froome won a fourth Tour de France last July then became the first British winner of the Tour of Spain.

He is seeking to add the Giro’s pink jersey to his list of achievements and become the reigning champion in all three of cycling’s Grand Tours at the same time.

Organisers RCS Sport announced Froome would be joined in Team Sky’s eight-rider squad by Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus), German Christian Knees, Colombia’s Sergio Henao, Philip Deignan (Ireland), Dutchman Wout Poels, Spaniard David de l a Cruz and Salvatore Puccio (Italy).

“The Giro is a whole new challenge for me and new motivation, too,” said Froome. “It’s huge to target the Giro d’Italia after winning the Tour and Vuelta last year.”

He is one of four Britons racing, along with Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott), Alex Dowsett (KatushaAlpecin) and Hugh Carthy (EF-Education First).

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