Froome set to make Aussie start again, after sparkling at Tour de France

CHRIS Froome’s dominant performance at the Tour de France means he is almost certain to open his season in Australia for the second year in a row in 2017.

Chris Froome, in yellow, rides in the peloton during Stage 19 of the Tour de France. Picture: Chris Graythen (Getty Images)

CHRIS Froome’s dominant performance at the Tour de France means he is almost certain to open his season in Australia for the second year in a row in 2017.

Having already told Herald Sun Tour boss John Trevorrow he was keen to return to the Victorian race next summer, Froome’s stranglehold on a third yellow jersey, which he is expected to seal on Sunday night vindicates his decision to begin his season down under.

The Team Sky superstar led the Tour de France by 4mins 11 secs going into Saturday night’s final mountain stage and with only Sunday’s parade into Paris standing between him and back-to-back titles.

It’s understood Froome is keen to bring his family to Australia for an extended stay next summer but it is not clear whether that will begin as early as December 3, when he has committed to riding a community event in the NSW Snowy Mountains.

“I’ve had emails from him and we had conversations after the (Herald Sun) Tour that he was already keen to come back, and I’ve had conversations with (Team Sky boss) Dave Brailsford,” Trevorrow said from France on Saturday night.

“But they’ve all had a job to do and I’ll have more conversations with them in Paris tomorrow.”

Froome won the Herald Sun Tour from February 3-7 which was the earliest start to his season since 2010 when he rode the Tour Down Under in Adelaide.

His performance in this year’s Tour de France smashes a perception that to win in July, a yellow jersey contender cannot afford to be racing so early in the season.

TDU race director Mike Turtur last week confirmed he had spoken with Froome about racing in Adelaide next January but no announcement has been made.

Despite all the drama of this year’s Tour de France, Froome has been undeniably the strongest and smartest rider in the race.

He survived two major scares — the first up Mont Ventoux on Stage 12 when he was forced to run without his bike, which was ruined in a crash, and the second on Stage 19, when he crashed on slippery roads and finished the stage on teammate Geraint Thomas’s bike.

Froome has not only answered every challenge but asked the question of his rivals when he stormed into yellow by attacking on the descent to the finish of Stage 8 then leaping into a breakaway in the final kilometres of Stage 12.

The Briton was second in the first individual time trial then won the second, which was all uphill on Stage 18, which showed his legs were stronger in the third week than in previous years.

“He’s such a professional I can’t claim it (was because he started his season in Australia),” Trevorrow said.

“It’s easy to say that now, I’m sure he would have prepared no matter where he went even though they were very happy riding in the Herald Sun Tour, that all helps.

“My impressions of him this year are pretty enormous really.

“The image of Froome running up the hill, it epitomises what it’s about. Most people would be yelling and screaming for a bike, but he just took off towards the line and that was on foot.”

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Originally published as Froome set to make Aussie start again, after sparkling at Tour de France