Tom Dumoulin ashamed of Chris Froome's late career: "It seems like he keeps cycling out of habit and is afraid to stop"
Cycling
Chris Froome was undeniably the most accomplished GC rider of the past decade with four Tour de France titles and a total of seven Grand Tour victories. However since his crash during recon of the 2019 Critérium du Dauphiné time trial, the Brit has been merely a shadow of his former self.
"I personally think it’s a shame that he keeps racing," his former rival Tom Dumoulin said in De Grote Plaat podcast, when asked how he views the still active Froome now. "I want him to have his fun. If he still enjoys it, who am I to take away his fun. But I can’t help but get the impression that he doesn’t really enjoy it anymore. It seems like he keeps cycling out of habit and is afraid to stop."
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The two have faced off in multiple occasions, most notably in the 2018 season where the Briton rode to a shocking Giro d'Italia victory (in the final week) after two weeks of struggling; whilst in the Tour de France both finished on the podium behind Froome's teammate Geraint Thomas.
Ever since the 2019 fall however the 40-year old never reached the same level, but managed to keep himself in the peloton after signing a long-term contract with Israel - Premier Tech with whom he still races with to this day. At the time being, his contract does end in 2025, but he hasn't shown intention of retiring yet.
"Of course he still earns a lot. But then I think: man, does he need that? He's earned millions a year for almost ten years. I don't know how many houses you need to live in? The fact that he's riding around at this level now takes the shine off it for me. Actually, that's been the case since his fall in 2019. He's never been at his level again."
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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Brucegel14-11-2026 - I live in Maribor.PogiSloFans14-11-2026
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- That's an excellent point. It's interesting that Vader came to that realization only after he learned that his contract wasn't going to be renewed.
santiagobenites14-11-2026
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