Tour 2015: Chris Froome | Team Sky

FACT FILE

Age: 30

Height: 1.86m

Weight: 69kg

WorldTour ranking: 16

Wins in 2015: 5

Career wins: 26

Days racing in 2015: 27

Best Tour GC finish: 1st

KM raced in 2015: 4,225

Form rating: ++++

Chris Froome had kept a comparatively low profile in the lead-up to the Tour de France this season, until his Critérium du Dauphiné victory last week reaffirmed his Grand Tour ambitions.

Rivals have noted Froome’s less auspicious build-up in terms of his results this season compared to those in the run to his 2013 yellow jersey victory. The 30-year-old had 3 wins to his name, four if you include the points classification at the Ruta del Sol, prior to the Dauphiné, in contrast to 8 in 2013, and he has raced less. 

Nevertheless, Froome is the major favourite for the Tour and will have a devoted Team Sky, who have been on song, at his disposal. The Kenyan-born Brit has been unequivocally focused on the Tour since the off-season where he trained for a period with chief pilot Richie Porte in Australia.

As long ago as December, Froome was set on working his way back to his magic 67kg race weight for a Tour in which he said Tinkoff’s Alberto Contador poses the biggest threat of all.

“I’m quite finicky about the small details and getting everything absolutely right in preparation for a race,” Froome said. “I’m stubborn that way, as an athlete. If I set my mind to something I’ll make sure I do it no matter what it takes.”

Key support

Sky have enjoyed a renaissance across the board this season after a lacklustre 2014.

There’s no doubting the fitness of Sky’s riders but their appearance has raised a few eyebrows.

In April L’Equipe labelled its climbers as “anorexic”, which Froome’s considerably leaner Porte rebuked in his run to a failed Giro bid. Sky have also appointed a new nutritionist, whom riders have praised.

Whether the leading Grand Tour team adopts its latest ‘marginal gain’ — a motorhome for its title contender — remains to be seen.