Chris Froome has emerged from the recent controversies surrounding Team Sky and British Cycling in a strong position, according to former pro and Olympic gold medallist Chris Boardman.
Boardman has said that triple Tour de France winner Froome now appears to be comfortable in the role as ‘statesman of the sport’ having given a measured response to the furore over the use of therapeutic use exemption (TUE) certificates and the ‘mystery package’ delivered to Team Sky for Bradley Wiggins during the 2011 Critérium du Dauphiné.
“What I’ve found interesting about the last few months is that Froome has become more of a statesman for the sport,” Boardman said to news agency Reuters.
“He is more comfortable in that role now. He’s clear on what he thinks and doesn’t contradict himself. I think Chris Froome has handled himself very well.”
Chris Boardman.
Boardman – who was formerly employed by British Cycling as a technical advisor – praised Froome for saying that there were still aspects of the controversies that needed clarification. In December, Froome commented on the package delivered to Wiggins at the 2011 Dauphiné.
“Those are questions for Brad to answer about what happened back then,” Froome said at the time. “In terms of who did what at the time, I still don’t know all the answers myself.”
>>> Chris Froome still ‘in the dark’ over Wiggins/Sky TUE controversy
“I can only deal with what I do know. From what I have seen for myself [at Sky], it’s been completely above board. It’s been clean. I’ve laid all my cards on the table. Everything has been out there for a while in terms of my TUEs.”
Boardman played down speculation that the relationship between Froome and Sky had become strained due to recent headlines.
“I think people have tried to infer things, spin what [Froome] said, which I think is unfair. But what he has said has been bang on.”
British Cycling and Team Sky are currently the subject of a UK Anti-Doping investigation, with a report due from UKAD imminently. Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford and members of British Cycling have appeared in front of a Culture, Media and Sport select committee to answers questions relating to anti-doping.
