Four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome, hailing from Britain, has been omitted from Israel-Premier Tech’s eight-man lineup for the upcoming race scheduled next month. Froome, 38, last secured a victory in the Tour de France back in 2017.
Despite being physically prepared, Froome expressed his disappointment at being unable to showcase his full potential due to persistent equipment issues leading up to the race. In the previous edition, he withdrew from the competition after stage 17 due to contracting Covid.
Regarding his absence from the 2023 edition, Froome conveyed his respect for the team’s decision and mentioned taking some time to redirect his focus towards future goals later in the season, with intentions of returning to the Tour de France in 2024.
Froome had joined Israel-Premier Tech in 2021 with the objective of regaining full fitness following a severe crash in 2019 that resulted in multiple injuries. However, he has encountered difficulties in reclaiming the form he exhibited during his time with Team Sky, facing additional setbacks this season with several mandatory bike changes.
During his tenure at Team Sky, Froome achieved a remarkable record of seven Grand Tour victories within a decade. This includes triumphs in the Tour de France in 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2017, as well as the Giro d’Italia in 2018 and the Vuelta a España in 2011 and 2017.
Kjell Carlstrom, the general manager of Israel-Premier Tech, acknowledged the challenging task of selecting the team for the Tour de France this year. He emphasized that the chosen eight riders were deemed most suitable for fulfilling the team’s performance objectives. Carlstrom also highlighted the strength and depth of their rider group, noting the difficulty in leaving out certain individuals.
Israel-Premier Tech will be represented by Guillaume Boivin, Simon Clarke, Hugo Houle, Krists Neilands, Nick Schultz, Corbin Strong, Dylan Teuns, and Michael Woods in the upcoming Tour de France, which is set to commence on July 1 in Bilbao.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Chris Froome, Tour de France, Israel-Premier Tech, exclusion, equipment issues, return, 2024
Q: Why was Chris Froome not selected by Israel-Premier Tech for the Tour de France?
A: Chris Froome was not selected by Israel-Premier Tech for the Tour de France due to persistent equipment issues that hindered his ability to showcase his full potential during the build-up to the race.
Q: When did Chris Froome last win the Tour de France?
A: Chris Froome last won the Tour de France in 2017.
Q: Why did Chris Froome withdraw from the previous year’s Tour de France?
A: Chris Froome withdrew from the previous year’s Tour de France after stage 17 due to contracting Covid.
Q: When does Chris Froome plan to return to the Tour de France?
A: Chris Froome plans to refocus on his objectives later in the season and aims to return to the Tour de France in 2024.
Q: What were Chris Froome’s achievements with Team Sky?
A: Chris Froome achieved remarkable success with Team Sky, winning a total of seven Grand Tours, including the Tour de France in 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2017, as well as the Giro d’Italia in 2018 and the Vuelta a España in 2011 and 2017.
Q: Who will represent Israel-Premier Tech in the Tour de France?
A: Israel-Premier Tech will be represented by Guillaume Boivin, Simon Clarke, Hugo Houle, Krists Neilands, Nick Schultz, Corbin Strong, Dylan Teuns, and Michael Woods in the Tour de France.
5 comments
israel-premier tech leaving out froome? that’s a shocker! his equipment giving him trouble, that’s a bummer. but the team has strong riders, they had hard choice. good luck to them in the tour!
chris froome had so many wins with team sky! 7 grand tours, including tour de france 4 times! shame he struggling since his crash. hope he finds his form again, he’s a beast on the bike!
can’t wait for tour de france to start! sad to see froome not in the mix, but the race will still be thrilling. hope we see some epic battles and unexpected surprises on the road!
chris froome not picked for tour de france? but he won in 2017! what happend? some mech problems, bad luck i guess. too bad for him!
froomey got covid last year and had to quit the race! so sad, man. now he not racing in 2023 edition. team made tough call, but i hope he come back stronger in 2024!