'Team Sky on the front when it counts'
Luke Rowe discusses Team Sky's different approach at the 2016 Tour de France


The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Thank you for signing up to The Pick. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
Team Sky, with Chris Froome in the yellow jersey, are racing smarter than they have before in the Tour de France, says Luke Rowe.
Team Sky's black and blue kit coloured the peloton's sharp end for the last two weeks, but the British WorldTour team is working differently than before when it had to protect its leader.
"We've been at the front when it counts, but a lot of the time, maybe before the TV footage even starts, we've actually tried to sit back a little bit," Rowe told Cycling Weekly.
"That's slightly different than previous years. We've saved a lot of energy doing that."
Ahead of the summit finishes to Arcalís and Mont Ventoux, Froome had around four to five helpers. For many, it appeared that Team Sky were the only team with a grip, not considering strong teams like Tinkoff, Astana and Movistar.
Watch: Highlights of stage 14 at the 2016 Tour de France
"If it's windy or coming into a climb or going over small roads, then we'll be at the front. If you are on a big road and it's a block headwind, then we'll take the opportunity to sit back a little bit," Rowe added.
"Even when we are riding on the front, we are always conscience of being on the protected side of the wind. Trying to do it in a smart way."
Team Sky's mountain men – Wout Poels, Mikel Landa, Mikel Nieve and Sergio Henao – will ride at the front early on flat days and save the classics men for the final kilometres in a stage like the windy one to Villars-Les-Dombes on Saturday.
"I think it takes a pretty sick person to enjoy a windy day," Rowe added. "I can do it, I'm quite good at it, but if I'm racing for myself and it's windy, then I'd enjoy it. When you are racing with the yellow jersey behind you, and it's windy and the pressure's on you to make sure he makes the split, then there's not much to enjoy. "
Rowe saw Poels and Froome step off the bus and he joked with them before they took their bikes for stage 14. They laugh often despite the seriousness of days like the one to Mont Ventoux, when Froome crashed and ran to save his yellow jersey.
Afterwards, doctored photographs circulated on social media with Froome running a marathon and with rhinos in Africa.
>>>Team Sky and Trek-Segafredo ready to move on after Ventoux incident
"We just have to laugh at it," explained Rowe. "Even he's seen the funny side of it. It's just something you've never seen before and you'll never see again. If you told me before the Tour started that the yellow jersey was going to be running up Ventoux without a bike, you just wouldn't believe it."
Thank you for reading 20 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
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Gregor Brown is an experienced cycling journalist, based in Florence, Italy. He has covered races all over the world for over a decade - following the Giro, Tour de France, and every major race since 2006. His love of cycling began with freestyle and BMX, before the 1998 Tour de France led him to a deep appreciation of the road racing season.
-
-
Snapped cranks, motorbikes and decade-old handlebars - breaking sprinting's oldest world record
Jeffrey Hoogland is going after the longest-standing record in track cycling
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Best fenders - mudguards - for gravel bikes 2023: top models we recommend
Want to extend the life of your components and ride in greater comfort? We’ve rounded up the best fenders / mudguards to protect both you and your gravel bike
By Stefan Abram Published
-
'I thought I was more in the door than I was' - Luke Rowe bares all on Vuelta a España snub
Welshman will not race a Grand Tour this year after he missed out on selection by Ineos Grenadiers
By Tom Davidson Published
-
‘I hope I get a cow’ - Josh Tarling aiming for the top prize at World Championships
Welshman competing in elite men’s individual time trial on Friday afternoon
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'All being well I’ll still be racing next year' but 'it's coming to an end' - Geraint Thomas on Ineos Grenadiers future
'It's nice to be arriving at a Worlds in decent nick' says the Welshman ahead of individual time trial in Stirling
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Fred Wright anticipating tough battle in elite men's road race at World Championships
Luke Rowe on racing Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert: 'If you wait and try to race them man on man in the final, I think you’re just waiting with a loaded gun to your head'
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Carlos Rodriguez credits BMX skills with Tour de France stage win
Ineos Grenadiers rider dedicates his victory to his parents
By Vern Pitt Published
-
'We just have to keep trying': Ineos Grenadiers ready to attack at the Tour de France
'You never know' British team's DS Steve Cummings says anything is still possible at French Grand Tour
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Disappointed on stage one, pleased with stage two: Tom Pidcock gaining confidence at Tour de France
Ineos Grenadiers rider satisfied with performance on the road to San Sebastián after difficult opening stage
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Tom Pidcock: Beating the likes of Pogačar and Vingegaard to a Tour de France stage would be ‘a step up’
Ineos Grenadiers rider heads into second Tour aiming for general classification and stage wins
By Tom Thewlis Published