As was the case with Sam Bennett, Chris Froome will be absent from the Tour de France. A last-minute change, the Briton is not racing the Tour as Israel - Premier Tech have put their focus on stage hunting, Froome is now left to look towards new goals.
“Physically I was ready, but unfortunately I was unable to show my full ability at the races assigned to me due to equipment issues," Froome told GCN. "I respect the team’s decision and will take some time before refocusing on objectives later in the season and returning to the Tour de France in 2024.”
Having built up his season around the Tour, it without a doubt comes as a big disappointment. He rues equipment issues for one of the reasons why he hasn't shown the best results, he recently rode in support of Michael Woods at La Route d'Occitanie where the team took the GC win.
At the Mercan'Tour Classic Froome was Israel's best placed rider, finishing the race in 14th place, which seemed to indicate that he was on the path to Tour selection, but the team has opted with different cards. Froome will most likely now make the effort to be present at the Vuelta a Espana where he hoped to perform last year before a Covid-19 infection hindered him.
We are lining up at @LeTour with a versatile team aiming for stage wins! 🎙️ "I believe that each of our eight selected riders has what it takes to be victorious in this race." - Sports Manager, Rik Verbrugghe. Read all about our TDF lineup right here: israelpremiertech.com/versatile-ipt-… __…
