Chris Froome has laid bare the scale of the challenge he has faced as the goal of a record-equalling fifth Tour de France title drives his rehabilitation from a career-threatening crash in 2019.
As the 35-year-old prepares for his first season with Israel Start-Up Nation, Froome is still battling to overcome the catalogue of injuries he suffered when he came off his time-trial bike at the Criterium du Dauphine a little over 18 months ago.
The process has already taken much longer than hoped, and after he missed selection for last year’s Tour, Froome finished his time with the Ineos Grenadiers battling pain as he rode the season-ending Vuelta a Espana in a support role.
“That was probably the biggest revelation,” Froome said. “Figuring out that the rehab process wasn’t actually 100 per cent completed, and that I still had work to do.
“As good as it was to be back racing the Vuelta, I wasn’t at the level that I would expect of myself. I was there doing a job for the team but I did feel limited as to my physical capability.”
After the race Froome had two screws that had been causing pain removed from his right leg before isokinetic testing revealed a 20 per cent deficit in quad strength on that side of his body.
Correcting that has been Froome’s goal during a winter spent at the Red Bull High Performance Center in Santa Monica, where he has undergone gruelling gym sessions in between rides under the California sun.
Staying in the United States meant Froome is missing Israel Start-Up Nation’s pre-season training camp in Girona this week, a key chance to get to know his new team-mates, but the pros outweighed the cons.
“The more pressing issue for me personally was really to address the weaknesses I had going into the season,” he said.
“I think these next few weeks should be the finishing touches to the rehab process.”
Froome had initially planned to start his season at the Vuelta a San Juan next week but the Argentinian race has been cancelled. Instead, he will now remain in California for at least two more weeks, with his race schedule yet to be determined.
But what is not in question is Froome’s number one goal – the Tour de France.
Success for Froome in 2021 would be recapturing his pre-crash form and, if he can, this year’s Tour route and its 58 kilometres of individual time trials looks like one that would suit him to a tee.
“This year I think (the route) is fantastic,” he said. “It’s got a good balance between pretty exciting big mountain-top finishes and the two time trials.
“So on paper, it looks like a great race and a race I’m looking forward to getting my teeth stuck into.”
Having spent two years away from the Tour, Froome will find much has changed while he away. The last two editions have been won by riders who rank second (Tadej Pogacar, 21) and fourth (Egan Bernal, 22 at the time) on the list of youngest ever winners.
If Froome is stood on the top step come Paris this summer he would be, at 36, the second oldest behind Firmin Lambot in 1922.
Age may be, as Froome suggested, “a state of mind”, but it is also a hurdle he must overcome this year.
“As an athlete you’re constantly questioning yourself,” he said. “And there are no guarantees. But I don’t see any reason why physically, I shouldn’t be able to get there…
“Certainly at my age and coming back from this injury it is something that’s very much driving me.
“To get to a record-equalling fifth Tour de France would just be incredible and especially on the back of the whole comeback story – that does give me extra motivation.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here