‘I wouldn’t be surprised if Team Ineos left Chris Froome out of the Tour de France,’ says Matt White

Mitchelton-Scott sports director Matt White says he ‘wouldn’t be surprised’ if Team Ineos left Chris Froome at home during the 2020 Tour de France.

Froome, four-time Tour winner, is chasing a record-equalling fifth yellow jersey with the British WorldTour squad this year, but his status within the team has now come into question.

Earlier this month, news emerged that Froome would be leaving Team Ineos after more than a decade and will be heading to Israel Start-Up Nation next season.

Team Ineos currently has three Tour de France winners in its roster – Froome, Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal – while Froome is also returning from a severe leg break suffered last season, raising questions about whether he will be given the chance to ride a final Tour with the team.

Former pro White told SBS in Australia: “At Ineos all they care about is winning the Tour de France. They’re quite good at removing emotion from decisions and I think it will depend how Chris Froome comes back into racing."

White added: ”I wouldn’t be surprised if they left him out, having three leaders does complicate things. It’s going to be a tricky one to manage, because you’ve got the last winners of the Tour de France all in the same team.”

While Froome’s inclusion in the Tour squad is unquestioned for many fans, the reality is more complicated as Team Ineos try to balance the ambitions of their three leaders.

Froome, Bernal and Thomas have all expressed their desire to carry the yellow jersey into Paris, but Froome’s position in the team is uncertain due to his return from injury and because he is leaving at the end of 2020.

After news of Froome’s transfer emerged, Cycling Weekly asked David Millar and Sean Yates to get their views.

Millar believes that loyalty will not be the deciding factor for Team Ineos management, but instead it will be Froome’s fitness that secures him a spot in the team.

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Team Ineos sports director Servais Knaven said that his position in the squad will not change because of the transfer, saying “if Chris is the best, he wins.”