Chris Froome: 'I'm looking forward to the business end of the Vuelta'
Sky leader relishing the challenge of the brutally tough Vuelta a España

Chris Froome on stage five of the 2016 Vuelta a España (Watson)

Chris Froome (Team Sky) says that we will learn the truth about the favourites and their fitness over the upcoming stages of the Vuelta a España, as the race serves up one summit finish after another in northern Spain.
Froome finished Friday's seventh stage unscathed, unlike three-time winner Alberto Contador (Tinkoff), who crashed in the final metres. Darwin Atapuma (BMC Racing) leads the race; Froome sits third, 34 seconds behind Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and six seconds ahead of his Movistar team-mate Nairo Quintana and Esteban Chaves (Orica-BikeExchange).
"I think I am where I need to be," Froome said after a long summer that has included his third Tour de France win and an Olympic bronze medal.
"The truth will come out once we hit the climbs. But so far I am feeling good and I think I had a pretty good start to the race. I am actually looking forward to get into the business side of it. We had a few transfer stages that have been kind of stressful and difficult to get through. It'll be good to get into the racing side of it again."
The racing includes the 8.5-kilometre summit finish to La Camperona on Saturday with several sections of 20 per cent gradient and a maximum of 25 per cent. For the Vuelta, which included Mirador de Ézaro and its 30 per cent ramps on day two, it is almost normal.
"That's the nature of the Vuelta. Every year, it's the same. That's what that wall is known for, I guess that's the characteristic of the Vuelta," Froome said. "We did that climb back in 2014 . It is tough, tough finish. It is again going to be about getting in a good position and seeing how the legs feel."
The summit finishes keep coming, too, with one on Sunday, one on Monday and another again on Wednesday, the day after the rest day.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
>>> In depth: Vuelta a España route
Froome's men in black now number only seven as one of his helpers, 2014 road race world champion Michal Kwiatkowski, abandoned the race today with back problems. This morning, Sky's helpers and Team Principal David Brailsford spent around 15 minutes around him on the turbo trainer looking concerned.
"That was a big blow," Froome said of Kwiatkowski's abandon. "He was a big part of the team and had a lot of horsepower, and he was in great shape. It's a real shame."
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
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.
-
Can anyone stop Primož Roglič or Juan Ayuso from winning the Giro d’Italia?
Roglič and Ayuso's form suggest they are the two outright favourites for overall victory in Rome next month
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
How to watch Dwars door Vlaanderen 2025: Everything you need to live stream the cobbled Belgian Classic
All the information on broadcasters and live streams for Dwars door Vlaanderen on 2 April, as Wout van Aert, Mads Pedersen, Marianne Vos and Lotte Kopecky take on the cobbles.
By Tom Davidson Published
-
'An unprecedented opportunity for brands to be part of the evolution' - Ineos Grenadiers sponsor hunt steps up with sales agency partnership
Sportfive have been employed to find "non-endemic global partners for the team"
By Adam Becket Published
-
'We've all got a little bit extra in us this year' - Ineos Grenadiers recapture 'fighting spirit' with aggressive Paris-Nice display
British team continue to put tumultuous 2024 behind them with momentum and a new found mentality
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Could a TotalEnergies deal be the end of Ineos Grenadiers as we know them?
Reports suggested this week that Ineos could be close to signing a deal with the French petrochemical firm
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'They’re racing with their hearts again' - Robbie McEwen on Ineos Grenadiers' bright start to 2025
The British squad have already won four times in 2025
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers are entertaining so far this year, but how long will it last?
The British WorldTour squad have won four times already in 2025, but more than that, they have been fun. Is this the new dawn?
By Adam Becket Published
-
Caleb Ewan says he was put in a 'bad situation' by Jayco AlUla before he joined Ineos Grenadiers
Ewan joined Ineos Grenadiers in January after spending just one year with Jayco AlUla
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'There's no bull****, that's what I've always liked' - Geraint Thomas's first BC coach Rod Ellingworth on the retiring Welshman
The 2018 Tour de France winner will step away from professional cycling at the end of the season
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'It is time to change goals' - Egan Bernal's coach confirms Ineos Grenadiers exit
'I want to thank all the cyclists I have had the opportunity to coach over the past ten years' Xabier Artetxe says in LinkedIn post
By Tom Thewlis Published