Chris Froome: Using full time trial bike set-up made the difference
Chris Froome was one of the few riders to use a full time trial bike and disc wheel during Thursday's Tour de France mountain time trial - a move that paid off
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

After winning the Sallanches-Megève time trial and pushing his overall lead in the Tour de France out to almost four minutes, Chris Froome revealed that he had initially wanted to tackle the hill-climb course with a road bike rather than the full time trial set-up with which he tackled the 17-kilometre course.
“I think a big part of today’s stage was selecting the right equipment and having the disc wheel and the tri-spoke made a big difference. I’m extremely grateful to the team behind me who help me to make those kind of decisions. When I looked at the parcours I thought I should use a road bike,” said Froome.
“But after their analysis of it, we decided to go with the full TT set-up. Pinarello have managed to save a lot of weight with the new TT bike, so I was able to use the TT bike and not worry about it weighing nine kilos when I was on the climb.”
Froome refused to admit that the battle for the yellow jersey is now over. He stressed the difficulty of the two mountain stages that lie ahead and said his focus during them will be “staying safe”.
Asked about who he regards as the strongest contender among the half-dozen riders battling for the second step on the podium, Froome picked out BMC Racing’s Richie Porte.
“Obviously Richie did a very strong time trial today and he was really the only one to take the race to me yesterday and make a really strong pace on the front, so in my opinion Richie looks like the one with the most to gain these next couple of stages,” Froome said of his close friend and former teammate.
“He had some bad luck earlier in the race and it’s a shame that he lost that time earlier on, but I believe if he continues in the way he’s going we’ll see him on the podium in Paris.”
Thank you for reading 10 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
Peter Cossins has been writing about professional cycling since 1993, with his reporting appearing in numerous publications and websites including Cycling Weekly, Cycle Sport and Procycling - which he edited from 2006 to 2009. Peter is the author of several books on cycling - The Monuments, his history of cycling's five greatest one-day Classic races, was published in 2014, followed in 2015 by Alpe d’Huez, an appraisal of cycling’s greatest climb. Yellow Jersey - his celebration of the iconic Tour de France winner's jersey won the 2020 Telegraph Sports Book Awards Cycling Book of the Year Award.
-
-
Redesigned DT Swiss 350 hubs are lighter but just as 'dependable' - and still come in a rim-brake version
Legendary road hubs updated to include 36t ratchet and redesigned hub shell and axle
By Luke Friend • Published
-
CW Live: Full list of teams for Paris-Roubaix and Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift confirmed; David Gaudu issues apology for Demare remarks; Peter Sagan celebrates 33rd birthday; cycling charity facing eviction; two races axed from women's WorldTour;
All the news you need to know in the world of cycling
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Global backers in talks over new British WorldTour team
Former management of Ribble Weldtite courting interest in new project
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
'I remember the crowds more than anything': Tom Pidcock recalls his Alpe d'Huez Tour de France stage win
Our male rider of the year, Tom Pidcock, talks us through the highs and lows of his 2022 campaign
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Leo Hayter, Cycling Weekly's rising star of 2022, talks through his season in the spotlight
We caught up with the winner of the "Baby Giro" to hear all about the win in Italy and his dream move to Ineos Grenadiers
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers release 'visibly fast' 2023 jersey
Navy is replaced with red as British team changes its look
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Where next for Mark Cavendish after B & B Hotels-KTM's collapse?
We look at where the ‘Manx Missile’ could find himself next after the collapse of B & B Hotels-KTM
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Chris Froome highlights dangers of long Covid after battle with virus
Four-time Tour de France champion warns of cardiovascular impact and says his VO2 max took a hit after illness
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
‘It’s a good thing and shows progression of the sport’ - Ben Swift hails changes at British Cycling academy
Ineos Grenadier says putting academy riders in with development teams will encourage development of many skills
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
'I know I can do it so I need to make that next level': Ben Turner signs Ineos Grenadiers contract extension
The Classics and another Grand Tour are on the agenda for Doncaster's Big Ben
By Chris Marshall-Bell • Published