Chris Froome says Team Ineos will have three leaders at the Tour de France 2020
Froome, Egan Bernal and Geraint Thomas will all share leadership duties, according to the four-time winner
Chris Froome says Team Ineos will take three leaders to the 2020 Tour de France.
British Grand Tour star Froome, winner of four Tours de France, said he will share the lead role with team-mates Egan Bernal and Geraint Thomas, but that he isn’t sure how they will balance their ambitions.
While the Tour de France has been delayed until August 29 due to coronavirus, teams have welcomed having a new date to work towards even if uncertainty around the Tour remains.
Team Ineos currently boast three Tour de France winners in their roster - Froome who is chasing a fifth title, Geraint Thomas who won in 2018 and rising star Egan Bernal who emerged victorious after an unpredictable three weeks of racing last summer.
Froome, who turned 35 last week, told Sky Sports in Italy: “I am ready for the Tour and to be a leader. The important thing at the end of the day is that the team wins, that’s what matters. The road will decide the rest.”
He added that he doesn’t know how the team will balance three leaders, but that they will find a way.
Froome has been on the long road to recovery after a horrific injury suffered at the Critérium du Dauphiné that left him with multiple injuries, including a broken femur.
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But the seven-time Grand Tour winner says he has now fully recovered and will be ready to compete for a fifth yellow jersey in Nice in late summer.
Froome has recently been at the centre of Team Ineos transfer rumours, after suggestions he could be considering leaving the team after a decade.
His contract with the British WorldTour team ends in 2020 and Froome has previously said he needs to make a decision in the coming weeks and months.
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Rumours have linked the Froome with Israel Start-Up Nation who have not denied their interest, while have dismissed the speculation as “fake news” and Movistar said Froome is not an option for them in 2020.
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Alex Ballinger is editor of BikeBiz magazine, the leading publication for the UK cycle industry, and is the former digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter, then as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output, and now as the editor of BikeBiz. Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) Alex covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers. Away from the desk, Alex can be found racing time trials, riding BMX and mountain bikes, or exploring off-road on his gravel bike. He’s also an avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.
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