New sports manager of Israel Start-Up Nation, Rik Verbrugghe, will have the difficult task of trying to help Chris Froome to return at the highest level.
Returned to competition during a 2020 season far from ideal to allow him to regain the pace, the Briton is expected to be at a higher level this year. And obviously, the four-time winner of the Tour de France, currently in California, seems to be on the right track if we are to believe the comments made by Verbrugghe.
“Chris is getting stronger again. Paulo Saldinha (the head coach of Israel Start-Up Nation), who went to Los Angeles to see Chris at work, was able to confirm that. He can again develop as much strength in the right leg as in the left leg.”
“The Froome of the Vuelta is not the Froome of today. Due to the lockdown in Monaco last year in March and the distance to his team, his rehabilitation was not perfect. In the meantime, he has become so much stronger.”
“He will leave for the Volta ao Algarve in February, then the Tour of Catalonia will follow. Chris will then head to the Tour via the Critérium du Dauphiné. These are the main lines that have been established “, said Rik Verbrugghe.
“Can he win a fifth Tour? The most important thing is that he manages to regain the level that has allowed him to win the Tour in the past. There are a lot of young people knocking on the door right now. It will be a very difficult thing to beat young wolves like Tadej Pogacar, Egan Bernal and soon Remco Evenepoel. The big question is whether he can reach their level. I really hope that Chris reaches the most high level for the Tour. I look forward to working with him “.
Chris Froome’s provisional program
February 17-21: Volta ao Algarve
March 22-28: Volta a Catalunya
May 30 – June 6: Critérium du Dauphiné
June 26 – July 18: Tour de France
