Philippe Gilbert agrees with Chris Froome's Tour de France omission: "He had his chances and it’s over"
Cycling
The now 38-year-old Chris Froome was reportedly desperate to make a return to the Tour de France, a race he has had considerable success in. However when Israel - Premier Tech revealed their lineup he was absent, a call Philippe Gilbert agrees with.
“Success at Grand Tours? I don’t think so," Gilbert tells Eurosport. “He’s still able to do some good stages, I think he was twice third last year in stages. I have the feeling that’s quite the maximum that he can do today. And with one more year in the legs, it will not become better."
Froome, a former four time winner of cycling's most illustrious race and a winner of seven Tour de France stages in the past, blamed equipment issues in the early part of 2023 for scuppering his chances to prove his worth in the races he has competed in. Gilbert though has seen nothing from Froome to show he can still compete.
"I don't think that Froome is even able to finish just a normal World Tour GC race in the Top 10," analyses the Belgian Classics legend. “Unfortunately I think he had his chances and it’s over today.”
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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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-… __
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