Froome scents the chance to double up with Vuelta win
Nearly 40 years have passed since a rider last won the Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espana in the same season. Bernard Hinault’s victory in 1978, by just over three minutes from the 1976 champion Jose Pesarrodona, was only the second time in history that particular double had been managed after another legend of the sport, Jacques Anquetil, first did it back in 1963.
If those two statistics, and the illustrious names behind them, do not underline the enormity of the task facing Chris Froome over the next three weeks, the fact that no one has achieved a Tour-vuelta double since the Spanish race was moved from its late April slot 22 years ago should ram the point home. Froome may well start as the bookmakers’ favourite for this Vuelta, but the 32 year-old is far from a shoo-in.
Froome’s fourth Tour victory, achieved last month, ultimately appeared comfortable enough. After his wobble on Peyragudes, when he surrendered the yellow jersey to Astana’s Fabio Aru, both he and Team Sky came back impressively, looking increasingly assured in a final week that saw Aru’s challenge fade away, Rigoberto Uran [Cannondale-drapac] apparently happy to ride for second, and Romain Bardet [AG2R] badly let down by his time trialling.
But the fact that Froome cracked at all, and did not generally look as dominant in the mountains as he has in recent years, will have encouraged his rivals. As will the fact that the Briton will not have his two most influential domestiques from last month’s Tour by his side in the coming weeks. Mikel Landa has since signed for Movistar, while Michal Kwiatkowski sits this out.
Froome’s rivals should not be getting too comfortable though. He has finished runner-up three times at the Vuelta. And in terms of rivals, it is difficult to see who is going to stop him. Most of the big names rode the Tour with him – Bardet, Aru, Simon Yates, Louis Meintjes, Alberto Contador and Warren Barguil – and will therefore be similarly fatigued. Of the rest, Vincenzo Nibali, Ilnur Zakarin and Adam Yates pose the biggest threats, but there is no out-and-out dangerman.
This year, both he and Sky can scent victory, with a flat 40km individual time trial midway through the race very much in their favour. “I believe this Vuelta can be a defining moment for Team Sky and for Chris Froome,” team principal Sir Dave Brailsford said this week.
One thing is sure, whoever wins is going to have to climb well. In total there are nine summit finishes while, of the 21 stages, 13 are mountainous. So mountainous, in fact, that Froome is favourite for the green points jersey as well as the red leader’s one. “The Vuelta is a race I love doing but it’s relentless,” said Froome.
“The course is always a lot more mountainous than the Tour de France and the conditions are tougher. Being mid-august in Spain, it’s quite common to have temperatures up in the mid 40s. It’s brutal, absolutely brutal.”