The Israel-Premier Tech group have refuted a report in French newspaper L’Equipe that claims a management feud between Chris Froome and Michel Woods meant the previous four-time Tour winner was not chosen for final yr’s race and that sponsor strain may see Froome again on the 2024 Tour de France regardless of a scarcity of current outcomes.
L’Equipe quoted an unnamed rider agent who mentioned: “Michael Woods is not any match for Chris with the organisers. We’re preventing for [Froome] as a result of his identify stays related along with his 4 victories on the Tour de France.”
The newspaper additionally claimed that Woods secured Froome’s exclusion from the 2023 Tour de France squad. Froome was annoyed to not be chosen for final yr’s Tour however has since promised to race on not less than till the top of 2025.
Staff proprietor Sylvan Adams was important of Froome final summer time, saying he wasn’t worth for cash. L’Equipe means that Froome was initially paid a wage of €4.5 million. Nonetheless, Cyclingnews understands this isn’t true, with such a big wage linked to the arrival of a sponsor that in the end failed to come back on board.
Froome and Woods rapidly dismissed the report however L’Equipe haven’t edited their story.
“That is information to me,” Froome wrote on X with a laughing emoji. “What about you, @rusty_woods (Michael Woods?)”
The Canadian replied: “Haha, similar right here mate.”
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“It appears to be an entire fabrication of view on issues within the group, particularly associated to myself and Woodsy, saying there’s some feud between us. We’re good mates,” Froome mentioned earlier than stage 2 of the Critérium du Dauphiné.
“Will probably be robust to make the group. I feel it very a lot is dependent upon what the group’s targets are. At this level that appears to be stage looking and the way succesful riders are of with the ability to obtain that.”
“We’ve all bought alternatives right here at Critérium du Dauphiné and the Tour de Suisse to point out how succesful they’re of fulfilling that group goal. I’m going to attempt to stand up the street and present myself whereas constructing my type and discovering some race depth.”
Israel-Premier Tech mentioned they had been stunned by the L’Equipe story. Sports activities supervisor Rik Verbrugge instructed Cyclingnews that Froome’s presence at this yr’s Tour de France might be determined by his performances and the sporting cohesion of the group.
“It is huge bullshit. I don’t know the place that info got here from,” Verbrugge instructed Cyclingnews on the Critérium du Dauphiné.
“Initially, Chris Froome’s non-selection final yr was a efficiency resolution and a group resolution to have a robust group firstly of the Tour de France. Woodsy gained a stage and that was the objective of the Tour de France. The house owners of the group had been tremendous proud of that efficiency.
“There isn’t a rigidity between the 2 riders. There isn’t a strain from any of our sponsors to deliver Chris Froome to the Tour de France, even for 2024.
Froome’s 2024 season was disrupted by a scaphoid fracture in his wrist at Tirreno-Adriatico and he solely returned to racing at this week’s Critérium du Dauphiné. Woods crashed and suffered a light concussion throughout stage 5 of the Giro d’Italia. He is because of trip the Vuelta a Espana and never the Tour de France in 2024.
Verbrugge didn’t exclude Froome’s choice within the remaining eight-rider Israel-Premier Tech Tour de France squad. Nonetheless he faces competitors from the likes of Derek Gee, Hugo Houle, Dylan Teuns, Pascal Ackermann, George Bennett and Stevie Williams.
“Chris broke his wrist in Tirreno-Adriatico and that slowed his development. Now let’s have a look at how he progresses till the beginning of the Tour de France,” Verbrugge instructed Cyclingnews.
“Choice for the Tour won’t solely be based mostly on Chris Froome’s efficiency, the sporting cohesion of the group can be vital.
“The choice might be made after the Tour de Suisse when now we have all the data from the riders. The perfect group that we will placed on the beginning line will go to the Tour de France.”
