Chris Froome: 'I've got my running shoes in the car so I'm ready for Ventoux'
The four-time Tour de France champion looks back on the last time the race went up Mont Ventoux
As Chris Froome continues to battle through his comeback at the Tour de France he's remained upbeat, trying to ride himself into form at the race he's won four times in his career.
On stage 11, he will tackle the mountain that plays a significant role in his Tour story, having won in the yellow jersey on Mont Ventoux in 2013, before the iconic scenes of 2016 when he started running up the mountain as he waited for a new bike following a crash.
"I've got my running shoes in the car so I am ready for Ventoux," Froome joked during the first week, looking ahead to the double ascent.
Looking back at that day at the 2016 Tour de France, Froome remembers how hectic the day was after the finish line was changed due to the strong winds on the 'Giant of Provence'.
"It was complete chaos on the stage," Froome remembered. "The finish had been moved because of the crazy winds up on the climbs. There were not the normal barriers in the last three kilometres of a mountain-top finish like that, and the crowds were a lot bigger because everyone had moved down the mountain."
Explaining his decision to run up the mountain, Froome says his will to win overcame everything else.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
"It was one of the craziest stages, it was definitely the craziest moment of racing I've been in. Only in moments like that do you really find your true desire of how much you really want to win," he explained.
"That day obviously, I didn't want to lose, and it seemed logical in my mind to keep moving forward, even if it meant running."
Despite finishing first and second the last two times the peloton has tackled the climb, this year he will be riding in support of Israel Start-Up Nation team-mates Dan Martin and Michael Woods.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1