Geraint Thomas and Chris Froome may not have been in Grand Tour form, but the British crowds came out in force to catch a glimpse of the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia winners. Paul Knott followed the Team Sky duo’s voyage across the country.
Britain is in uncharted territory. We’re not talking about bumpy Brexit negotiations, but of having two British Grand Tour winners in the form of Geraint Thomas and Chris Froome. Both returned to the UK last week to ride their national tour, the first time they’ve both lined up since their relatively unknown years at Barloworld-Bianchi. That was 2009 when Froome had just switched from riding for Kenya to riding for Great Britain, Thomas was still just a decorated track rider and Team Sky was in the latter stages of being built. Fast forward nine years and the duo are at the top of the sport with a home public vying for their attention.
Was it fate that this year’s Tour of Britain started in Wales, the home of the current Tour de France champion, where amongst the hundreds of autographs hunters came a few strange requests. “You get asked to sign all kinds of random things, but I’ve never signed a dog before this week — so that was a first,” Froome told us.
This attention and goodwill was apparent at every stage, all of which seemed a million miles away from the hostile reception at the Tour de France team presentation in La Roche-sur-Yon.
The circus that followed Team Sky from Thomas’s home country around the Tour of Britain had a very different atmosphere to what Thomas, Froome and co were subjected to in France just over a month ago.
“When you see the reception we got in France it wasn’t great, it’s nice to come here and have everyone really happy for the team,” said Ben Jenkins, who has been a soigneur for Team Sky for the past five seasons.
“To have two of the greatest Grand Tour riders Britain has produced, it’s nice to have everyone get behind us.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September 13, 2018 من CYCLING WEEKLY.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September 13, 2018 من CYCLING WEEKLY.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
CLASSIC BIKE - JOHNNY BERRY
Johnny be good at making beautiful lightweight bikes
UK SCENE - WUNDERKIND HUDSON WINS YORKSHIRE CX
Newly crowned junior hill-climb champ shows his versatility by winning round seven on the mud
WATT WORKS FOR ME TADEJ POGAČAR
The man himself - subject of this special issue - explains the key performance changes behind his record-breaking year
11 WAYS TO POG-UP YOUR PLAN
Tadej Pocačar's performance is out of reach but you can adapt his training to raise your game. Chris Marshall-Bell consults the experts to find out how
Why do modern aero bikes look less aero?
Are today's aero bikes really faster, or is marketing just getting better? Joe Baker investigates...
REVIEW OF THE YEAR
An Olympic year is always special and the cycling season once again delivered a year of highs and lows, from Pogi's triple to Katie Archibald's pre-Olympic trip
MEET THE PARENTS
What made Tadej Pogačar the phenomenon he is today? Chris Marshall-Bell went to Slovenia to meet his mum and dad, Mirko and Marjeta
HALF MAN HALF GOAT
Tadej Pogačar may have had a phenomenal season, but has he done enough to cement his status as the greatest of all time? Chris Marshall-Bell weighs the arguments for and against
Lefevere cashes in his chips and leaves cycling management
The news that Patrick Lefevere will step down as Quick Step boss marks the end of an era, after 22 years in charge
Mathieu van der Poel weighs up skipping Tour de France
Dutchman hints at missing Tour in favour of mtb Worlds bid, reports Tom Thewlis from Dénia, Spain
