Chris Froome on Lloyd Mondory’s EPO positive: ‘What an idiot’

Nigel Wynn

Chris Froome took time to answer fans’ queries in an impromptu Twitter question-and-answer session on Wednesday, including his reaction on hearing the news this week that French rider Lloyd Mondory had tested positive for EPO.

“What an idiot” was Froome’s reply to Alexandre Mignot who asked “What was your first thought when you learned Lloyd Mondory’s positive test?”.

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Mignot then followed the answer up, asking Froome whether he thought this because Mondory doped or got caught. “Because he doped obviously,” said Froome.

It was one of a series of candid answers to a whole range of questions posed to the 2013 Tour de France champion as he recovers from a chest infection at home after withdrawing from the start list of Tirreno-Adriatico.

The questions ranged from the banal – “Bacon sandwich – red or brown sauce?” – to the controversial.

Among the answers, Froome said that an attempt at the Hour Record may be ‘on the cards’, and that he thought Bradley Wiggins had ‘a good chance’ of winning Paris-Roubaix.

He also revealed who it was first coined his nickname of ‘Froomedog’: former Sky team-mate Russell Downing.

Froome is back in training, and will next race at the Volta a Catalunya in Spain from March 23-29. He also said that he hopes to ride ‘Fleche Wallonne and/or Liege-Bastogne-Liege’.