Chris Froome happy playing super-domestique to 'repay' Peter Kennaugh
Tour de France champion Chris Froome worked hard at the Herald Sun Tour to set up Sky team-mate Peter Kennaugh for the overall lead
Headline act Chris Froome made light work of inflicting pain on rivals at the Jayco Herald Sun Tour today.
The 30-year-old stretched his climbing legs during the first road stage riding away from a peloton that fractured under a pace Team Sky set on a category one ascent near the finish in Healesville.
Froome has opened his 2016 season at the race in Victoria, Australia, which his teammate Peter Kennaugh now leads following a one-two finish on stage one.
“That's the first big hit out I've had this season and I was really happy with my feelings. I think it's a really good start to the season for me,” he said.
>>> Peter Kennaugh leads Herald Sun Tour after Sky dominate stage one
The two-time Tour de France champion will wear the polka dot jersey tomorrow having taken maximum points on the second King of the Mountain prime where he paced stage winner Kennaugh before the pair swapped turns on the descent and rode together to the finish line.
“That climb wasn't super selective on paper and I think a lot of people were expecting it to come back to a bunch sprint but we don't really have any sprinters here,” Froome said.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
“We don't have many opportunities so we thought let's give it everything we've got, and the guys did a fantastic job setting it up. They made it has hard as possible on the early slopes and then I took over.
“[It's] a really nice feeling also being able to give something back to Peter Kennaugh. The number of times he has emptied himself for me out on the road, he's been part of both my Tour de France victories, it's nice to be able to do something for him now.”
Watch: Michal Kwiatkowski interview
Froome laughed when it was put to him that he'd now be the most high-profile domestique with the British national champion Kennaugh now in the yellow jersey.
“That's one way to put it,” he said.
“We're going to try and protect that now. Pete's in great shape. He won Cadel's race [Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race] just a few days ago so we'll try and keep the jersey on his shoulders now.”
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
Sophie Smith is an Australian journalist, broadcaster and author of Pain & Privilege: Inside Le Tour. She follows the WorldTour circuit, working for British, Australian and US press, and has covered 10 Tours de France.
-
Luke Rowe to leave Ineos Grenadiers, joins Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale as a sports director
The Welsh rider spent 13 years with the British squad
By Adam Becket Published
-
TV coverage of a bike race can leave you with a strange impression of a country
TV footage is deceptive so choose your illusion wisely
By Michael Hutchinson Published
-
Overachiever: Cameron Wurf competed in the Amstel Gold, La Flèche Wallonne and an Ironman, all in just eight days
Cameron Wurf is both a member of Team Ineos Grenadiers and an accomplished professional long course triathlete who has racked up numerous World Tour and Ironman race finishes across his career.
By Kristin Jenny Published
-
Bullying isn't allowed in other workplaces, professional sport should be no different
Comments about Julian Alaphilippe are just the latest in a long line of examples of bosses in sport going too far
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
‘I feel lucky to be alive’: Magnus Sheffield speaks for the first time about Gino Mäder’s fatal crash
The American describes what he saw at the Tour de Suisse, eight months after the tragedy
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Tom Pidcock: Tour of Britain route 'not really ideal for me'
Brit says he wants to win home stage race, even if the course plays in Wout van Aert's favour
By Tom Davidson Published
-
This 39-year-old INEOS Grenadiers rider moonlights as a pro triathlete
A Jack of all trades, Cameron Wurf is a domestique for INEOS Grenadiers professional cycling team, but doubles as a successful pro triathlete.
By Kristin Jenny Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers' only female rider Pauline Ferrand-Prévot eyes road return
Mountain bike legend could be back in the peloton next year
By Tom Davidson Published
-
CW Live: Chris Froome targets return to 'top level'; UCI tightens ITT rules; Strava responds to price hike criticism; Topless protesters arrested at TDU; Tributes paid to Lieuwe Westra; Scott recalls 'cracking' bikes; Toon Aerts the PE teacher
The latest news in the world of cycling
By Tom Davidson Last updated
-
CW LIVE: Wout van Aert and Shirin van Anrooij win cyclo-cross in Koksijde; Rapha unveil EF Education kits; Police search for two suspects in Mark Cavendish robbery; Paris-Nice route announced; Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas to ride Tour Down Under
All the latest in the world of cycling
By Tom Davidson Last updated