Chris Froome posts a massive 237km ride in the French Alps on Strava

On the day he got selected for the Tour de France, Chris Froome put in a massive ride in the French Alps spanning almost nine hours. 

The Israel Start-Up Nation rider rode 237.2km in a time of 8:41.03, climbing 11 mountain passes en route.

Four times a winner of the Tour de France, Froome’s selection in the upcoming race was no guarantee given his form in 2021, but his commitment to return somewhere near the high levels he set in the past cannot be questioned.

From the one photo he posted to the ride he uploaded on Strava (opens in new tab), it appears that Froome was riding with team-mates, all of whom are staying at hotels close to the ski resort at Col de la Croix Fry.

During his lengthy day in the saddle that took him around Lake Annecy, Froome and co. mainly rode below 1,000m of altitude until the final 40km when they began to stay above four digits of elevation, thanks to the ascent of Col des Aravis and back to Col de la Croix Fry.

In total, Froome climbed 5,161m of elevation, averaging 27.3kmh. He had an average power of 200 watts, peaking at 1,209 watts.

It was announced on Monday that Froome would be team captain for Israel Start-Up Nation at the Tour, riding in support of Michael Woods.

It is thought that after the Tour he may ride the Vuelta a España for a second successive year, having twice won the Spanish Grand Tour.

Upon his selection for the Tour, Froome said: "After two years [ed - three] away from the Tour de France, I can't wait to get back.

"It has been an arduous journey since my crash at the Critérium du Dauphiné in 2019, but this has been one of my biggest motivations.

"I've been working tirelessly to get where I am, and although my ambitions this year won't be as a leader, I hope to add my experience and support to the team as best I can as road captain."

It will be the first time that Froome has taken on the role as road captain, with his team hoping his significant experience can aid them in only their second Tour appearance.

Froome has made no secret of his desire to win a fifth Tour, but that goal will have to wait for 2022, with his role at the upcoming race clearly defined.