Chris Froome

Chris Froome is a GC rider with seven Grand Tour wins to his name - four at the Tour de France, two at the Vuelta a España and one Giro d'Italia title. The run of wins from 2013 to 2018 ensures his place as the best Grand Tour rider of his generation. His dominance of Grand Tours came to an abrupt end in June 2019 when he suffered horrific injuries in a crash at the Criterium de Dauphiné

Froome was doing a recon of the TT route and suffered a freak accident that saw him hit a wall at speed having been hit by a gust of wind. Froome was airlifted to hospital and was in a life threatening condition.

He returned to training with Team Sky, but his relationship with the team soured somewhat. With Egan Bernal in the ascendency, and the question marks over the level of fitness Froome would return to his wife Michelle began talking to other teams.

Froome signed a multi-million Euro five year deal with the Israel team, and although he returned to ride the Tour de France, he never returned to his former level, despite for years believing he would. 2025 is believed to be his last year as a rider.

There's more detail on Froome and his salbutamol case here.

Chris Froome's early career

Chris Froome was born in Kenya and schooled in South Africa, swapping to British nationality in 2008, just after the Beijing Olympics. British Cycling officials had identified him in early 2008 when they learned of his British family and saw his talent. At the time he was riding for Barloworld.

Despite frantic efforts, and Froome's existing dual nationality, they weren't able to get a release form from the Kenyan cycling federation (with whom he was registered) in time for Froome to ride the road race at the Beijing Olympics.

Froome has been with Team Sky since the start in 2010, but endured a torrid first two years. In fact, Froome was almost dropped from the team, but finally came good at the 2011 Vuelta a Espana where he finished second.

As the race went on, and Froome's full abilities were finally on show, Sky boss Sir Dave Brailsford was so desperate to re-sign Froome he flew out to Spain on the Murdoch private jet with a new contract in hand.

It was a wise move by Brailsford as he secured the services of the man who looks set to be a dominant feature at the Tour de France for years to come.

Chris Froome's key results

Tour de France 2013

Having played second-fiddle to Bradley Wiggins in Team Sky and Great Britain's debut Tour de France victory, with Froome finishing second, 2013 was his time to shine.

Given the role of team leader, Froome took the race to his rivals at the very first opportunity he could. Stage eight featured the first summit finish, Ax 3 Domaines in the Pyrenees, and Froome disposed of both Alberto Contador and Richie Porte, finishing 50 seconds ahead of the rest of the field to take yellow.

Having increased his lead during the stage 11 individual time trial to Mont-Saint-Michel, Mont Ventoux presented the first of the final week's challenges.

With 4km to go up the iconic Tour climb, Froome had only Nairo Quintana left for company, as Contador and Vincenzo Nibali chased behind.

Froome finally attacked the Colombian with 1.3km to go to take the stage win and take a big step towards securing his first Tour de France victory, eventually finishing 4-20 ahead of Quintana.

As we know, this first win only gave Froome a taste for success, going on to win three more French Grand Tours in the next four years.

Giro d'Italia 2018

After victory at the Tour de France and Vuelta a España in 2017, the 2018 Giro d'Italia posed an opportunity for Froome to do what only Eddy Merckx and Bernhard Hinault had done before him - be the defending champion of all three Grand Tours at once.

Things hadn't gone to plan, though, and despite an impressive win on stage 14 by stage 19 he was fourth on GC and more than three minutes behind race leader Simon Yates.

However, with 80km to go Froome took his rivals by surprise, launching a solo attack on the foothills of the Colle delle Finestre, the highest peak of the race that year.

He then time-trialled the remainder of the stage on his own, and in what is considered one of the greatest comebacks in modern cycling history, he crossed the line three minutes ahead of the next rider, securing himself the pink jersey and his trio of victories.

This Grand Tour victory is Froome's most recent, having finished runner-up to team-mate Geraint Thomas at the 2018 Tour de France.