Giving up isn’t in Froome's dictionary: "I can still play a role in the Tour de France"

"When I won the Saitama Criterium in 2014, I thought to myself that this wasn't the accomplishment of a mission, but rather the start of a story," Froome recalls. "Later, I was blown away by the number of fans waiting for us and by how well versed in the lore of the Tour they were," says the four-time Tour de France winner in an ASO press release.

The 39-year-old chased his fifth Tour title for years but has now accepted that it’s unlikely to happen. However, he’s still keen to be at the start in Lille in 2025 — for the eleventh time, at age 40. "I didn't make the cut for the last two, but it's not far-fetched to think that, if I give it my all, I can still earn a spot on the team and play my part — hunting for a stage win, maybe, or working for my teammate Derek Gee, for example," says the Israel-Premier Tech rider. "Winning my fifth? That's life. At the end of the day, I think the 2019 Tour was the one that really got away. I'd never been as strong in training as before my crash in the Critérium du Dauphiné."

The fact that the 2025 Tour will go to the top of Mont Ventoux adds a romantic touch for Froome. "The Ventoux holds a very special place in my heart. When I won there in 2013, that was when I really knew I was going to take it all the way to Paris. In 2016, I had a similar performance in me, but that crash happened and mayhem ensued," he says, recalling the famous moment when he continued running.

"It made no sense at all to start running," he laughs now. "But it was an automatic reaction that just kicked in. And, in the end, it went down in history."