As I was driving down the road from work, yesterday, listening to a podcast about the Giro d’Italia, the focus of the discussion was Chris Froome’s commitment to racing the brutal Grand Tour. Many topics were brought up during the discussion, mainly about the ability of Froome verses the competition and whether or not his participation is only being used as an excuse for why he will lose the Tour de France. I am indifferent either way. The former pros and cycling enthusiasts in the podcast asked each other what emoji would be used to show interest in Froome and the Giro. Funny as it was the main emoji was just a pleasant smile or a curious one. In other words, it is nice but no big deal.
Why? Why is Chris Froome so . . . well, liked . . . no, sort of ignored . . . eh, hated . . . I have actually thought of a way to explain the typical reaction to Froome, but it alludes me. He is loathed by many. He is loved by some. He seems nice. He is friendly and humble. He is well spoken and articulate. So what is the problem? Oh, there is one. I just cannot nail it down, so I thought I would write something and hope for a response from my fellow riders of the world. I really would like to be a Froome fan, but I actually find myself rooting against him. Is it Team Sky? Does it bother people that the cycling machine, known as Team Sky, shows up and uses “marginal gains” to win time after time? Is there something that is just suspicious about the pseudo Brit? There is no way around the fact that doping scandals have placed deep scars in all of us, and when we see someone with 7″ thighs blasting up a mountain, it causes an eyebrow to pop up. I have no reason not to like him. He is not an arrogant jerk, like Cav. He is not a complete dick, like Bouhanni. He is not even a distant figure, like Quintana. Maybe it does not bug others like it does me. I just hate when I cannot put my finger on something.
As the season begins to unfold with the Tour Down Under, everything appears to be the same. We will have the same big players, even though some of the Grand Tours have really gone out of their way to make things more difficult. I mean for goodness sake the last stage of the Giro is just mind-blowing! Yes, Froome will be there this year. If he does accomplish a victory, it will place Froome in the thin-aired company of Hinault and Merckx. A Giro win would also put Froome in the elite group to have won all three Grand Tours: Spain, Italy, France. This brings up the fact that we are witnessing history, with even maybe a fifth straight Tour de France victory thrown in, and there is more reaction to Peter Sagan doing a wheelie than Froome’s business of riding. It is just weird. Please give me your thoughts and ideas, and be comforted in the fact that I will sleep better.
Bon Vélo!
Secondrate Cyclist 
He’s British and we all love to hate the Brits, especially us Irish 😉
Haha 🤣
I don’t mind Froome-dog. He comes across likeable enough if not all that exciting. I wonder if people would like him more if he hadn’t and didn’t ride for Sky?
That’s exactly what I’m starting to think! Thanks TC
Ah, old spaghetti arms… 😁
One of my friends calls him the Cricket 🤣
Yes! LOL
It’s really simple. He’s a bullshiter. An arrogant bs’er just like lance was. AND he cheated to win his 2013 TdF. (and most likely all of his TdF wins) That’s why many don’t like him or respect him. A massive Hypocrite and a douche of mega proportions. Talented? Of course, that’s not the issue. It’s his moral and ethical character. Froome is a liar, a cheat and a fraud. JUST as most of the top pro athletes are.
So you don’t like him? 🤣
Not a bit mate! Him and Wiggo are sociopaths. Bold face liars but try to come off as holier than though athletes. Too funny! I respect their unquestionable talent, but not their characters, not as men.
I’m kind of thinking we are in another “before EPO was detectable” era but with something new
Exactly! Whatever the Sky protocol is… it is fantastic! Undetectable as of yet. But eventually it will be found out. It’s just a matter of time… how ANYONE could believe that that a rider could win back to back grand tours 2 months apart while being natural! It’s SO laughable! It’s absurd.
But, you’ll always have the fan-boy muppets defending their false idols… it’s silly. Even when Lance was winning I was very skeptical. But I didn’t care, it was a great show! (except for a few years there) But It’s not really a great show anymore… no real contenders. Nairo was NEVER a threat. ALL hype. Contador? rotflmao! Nibali…maybe but not so much. froomes biggest rivals were on his OWN team for christs sakes.
Sky has the TdF won before it even begins. froome won the yellow jersey in the first week the last 2 years. He was sandbagging, trying to make it look like he was vulnerable! lol.
I saw the same thing.