"I would probably just make it into the top twenty in a race now" - Chris Froome says cycling's nutrition changes has seen today's level eclipse his peak
Cycling
Chris Froome believes if he was in his peak Tour-winning shape, he would barely finish in the top 20 places such is cycling's revolution. Pointing to major changes in nutrition and Tadej Pogacar's history-making dominance as major factors in the sport's progress since his career heyday.
The British rider won four editions of the Tour de France from 2013 to 2017 before a new era of cycling has seen the next generation push the envelope further. In a clear progression of fuelling and nutrition, riders consume much more carbohydrates during races than previous years.
Former Team Sky leader Froome praised Tadej Pogacar's dominance of the sport as he joined him in the record books among the four-time Tour winners. Detailing his respect for the UAE leader, Froome noted his clear superiority over the rest.
"What he's achieving is simply phenomenal. All that's left is admiration and respect. He's not rewriting history, he's writing his own history in this sport," he told CyclingNews.
"When the level is already so high and the gaps between all the other riders are so small, he still manages to clearly outshine everyone else."
Tadej Pogacar
Froome thinks his best form wouldn't come close to winning Tour now
Less than a decade after he was the benchmark for Tour de France glory, Froome claimed his previous level would barely be enough to finish in the top twenty places.
Backing Pogacar to recover from his crash, he hopes Pogacar won't be deterred by his brush with disappointment after his Vuelta fall thast saw him suffer a broken collarbone, broken CY vertebrae and concussion.
"There's no doubt about that. I would probably just make it into the top twenty in a race now, even though it has only been six or seven years since I won
"Luckily, it wasn't his fault, but one of those unfortunate crashes. There's no reason for him to be afraid. Other riders, on the other hand, are unsettled for months just from seeing someone else crash."
The 41-year-old has suffered his own injuries from crashes. In 2019, he crashed at the Criterium de Dauphine. Although he did return to action the following season and rode until the end of last season, Froome never re-found his best form since.
"I was very lucky that after my crash in 2019, when I broke my leg in two places, I felt no fear when I returned," Froome said.
"But I don't remember my crash either; it has simply been erased from my memory. I must have hit my head hard enough, or it was such a shock that I don't remember the crash at all."
On nutrition, Froome remembers taking in a benchmark of 40-50 carbohydrates per hour when racing. Now, he observes 100-150 grams being consumed by top riders on demanding stages - a huge increase from before.
Modern cycling nutrition
"When I won the Tour de France , we were probably re-fueling on no more than about 40 to 50 grams of carbohydrates per hour.
"Now it is over 100, sometimes even 150 grams on the big stages. We are not talking about a 20 or 30 percent increase in nutrition, we are talking about a 300 percent increase."
The Briton recounts his 2018 Giro d'Italia comeback win fondly. Making a move on the Colle delle Finestre on stage 19, he stole a three minute march on his rivals to take control of the general classification in an emphatic move.
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"The absolute best day on the bike, without a doubt. I knew that my team had set such a high pace on the Colle delle Finestre that the others had no domestiques left.
"So it came down to the remaining GC contenders: who was going to ride, who took responsibility? It simply worked to my advantage that they were arguing amongst themselves."
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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