Fans back Froome in Spain
Inhaler-gate did little to dampen the zeal of roadside fans at the Ruta del Sol as Froome opened his 2018 campaign
As Chris Froome climbed off the turbo trainer after the third stage of the Ruta del Sol — his first race of the season — in the small Spanish town of Herrera and headed inside the bus, a cheer went up from the fans crowded around. If Froome is cycling’s number one pariah, then the news hasn’t reached here.
Froome could have been forgiven for keeping his head down until the UCI’S investigation into an alleged misuse of salbutamol is complete — certainly there have been many figures in the sport saying he should do just that. But in a year when he is targeting a Giro and Tour double, that is a luxury he can’t afford. He needs these early-season testers — next up is Tirreno-adriatico in less than three weeks’ time — to both reveal his progress and deliver the race miles he will need.
And make no mistake, while others may have stolen the race headlines, for the crowds — aside from those cheering former Sky team-mate Mikel Landa (now Movistar) — Froome was by some distance the main man.
In Mancha Real, at the start of stage three, and in the rather grander setting of Seville the next day, there was not a murmur of discontent.
“It is a nonsense,” said 44-year-old fan Juan Ruiz, who had brought his two small children to the Plaza de España to see the star. “They talk as if it is doping, like the bad old days. It is nothing.”
“If I were him, I wouldn’t do it,” said Ag2r rider Oliver Naesen of Froome’s decision to race. But the Belgian wasn’t suggesting Froome has a brass neck, rather that the pressure must be unbearable. “It can’t be much fun with all the attention he’s under. You can see it in his results — he’s not on his normal level.”
Was that attention bad for the sport? “It’s not good for the credibility of cycling,” Naesen continued. “To race here he must be 100 per cent sure he hasn’t done anything wrong. I hope the air is cleared and I hope it is nothing.”
In the meantime, Naesen was reserving judgment. “If I throw him on the fire now,” he pointed out, “and then next week I have to take it all back, that would be a little bit silly.”
Astana leader Jakob Fuglsang was similarly unwilling to hang the Brit out to dry. “To be honest,” he said, “at the beginning I was wondering what it was he was doing here, but after talking to Chris I understand that the situation is maybe not so simple as has been made out. I understand his reasoning.
“I don’t know if any other riders have what you’d call a problem, but if they do I think it’s because the lack of information means people think the situation is more than it actually is.”
Lottonl-jumbo directeur sportif Addy Engels said, “The only problem is there is no clarity,” and team rider Enrico Battaglin added that the long, drawn-out nature of the process was the real problem.
Froome wasn’t blessed with a welter of Brits with whom to share his thoughts on the Ruta del Sol — the only other is Lotto-soudal youngster James Shaw.
“I’ve spoken to him during the race and he’s seemed all right,” said the 22-year-old. “I’m not having anything to do with it. I’m just letting the UCI and WADA sort it out between them.”
Team Sky’s Irish veteran Philip Deignan said that all in the camp couldn’t be better. “People have this idea that in Team Sky we’re all robots,” he said. “We’re actually a really good bunch who get on well together and have a laugh. If anything, what’s happened with Chris has made that spirit stronger.”
And the man himself — how had he found being back on the bike? “It’s not about tension or relief or anything like that,” Froome said, “it’s starting my season.”
But surely he must have balked when the case threw up an army of reporters at stage one? “It’s definitely been hyped up in the media. Anyone can see that — it shows here at the race.”
So did he think of the bike as his escape from all the speculation and finger-pointing? “I wouldn’t say that,” Froome replied. “I’m here racing.”