Tour de France champion Chris Froome pays tribute to ‘flawless’ Team Sky
Written by News on 25/07/2017
Chris Froome has paid tribute to his team-mates for helping him to a fourth Tour de France title and admitted his latest victory feels just as special as his first.
Froome finished 54 seconds ahead of Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale-Drapac) in what he has described as the "toughest" tour he has raced in.
"This year’s route really didn’t play to my strengths," said Froome. "I had a few days when things didn’t go according to plan. I had good days and bad days, but the team was absolutely solid and was always there for me to lean on when I was having difficult moments.
"They were flawless. It was tough for us losing Geraint Thomas on stage 9 to a big crash and stage 15 was the day we saved the Tour de France. Had I not got back from the wheel change that would have been game over for us."
Despite his fourth success at cycling’s most prestigious event, Froome was still booed by some fans during the three-week race. But he says that was to be expected with Frenchman Romain Bardet in contention to win the yellow jersey.
"The support on the roads this year in France was incredible," he said. "It felt like there was a page turned in that book for us. Having said that, I did get a lot of boos on the start line of the final time trial in Marseille, but I’ll forgive them for that.
"It was in the heart of Marseille, there was a Frenchman in second place in the race at that point – it’s understandable. I’m not going to take that one personally at all."
With four Tour de France titles, Froome is now only one behind the record of five held jointly by Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain.
"I’m 32 at the moment," he said. "Riders have gone into their late 30s still winning the Tour de France. I came into the sport very late so I still feel quite young in cycling years. Cycling is one of those sports in which experience is so valuable, so I’d like to think I’m still learning in the sport and still improving as a bike rider.
"I’d like to come back to the Tour de France at least for the next three, four or five years. I just want to lay it all on the line for as long as I can."
(c) Sky News 2017: Tour de France champion Chris Froome pays tribute to ‘flawless’ Team Sky
