Chris Froome cements status at cycling’s king and all-round good bloke

ALL Chris Froome’s outclassed rivals could do was stare as the duel Tour de France winner made a mockery of the Arthurs Seat triple torture test to claim the Jayco.

‘Good bloke’ Froome cements King status

CHRIS Froome’s outclassed rivals might be relieved to hear his domination of the Arthurs Seat triple torture test wasn’t quite as easy as he made it look.

Froome was the first to the top of all three of the three-kilometre, 8 ½ minute climbs that decided the Jayco Herald Sun Tour with a classic demonstration of why he has won the Tour de France twice and is now regarded as the best in the business at one of the most physically and mentally demanding sports.

Only a handful of riders had the legs and the heart to try to go with him but none looked like preventing him claiming the stage, the King of the mountains classification and the Tour overall, taking the winner’s yellow jersey off the back of teammate Peter Kennaugh.

Chris Froome crosses the line.

As he cruised across the finish line, punching the air, it looked like he was doing it on his ear.

They tend to do that, the great champions in all sports.

But its never that easy, the British superstar said.

“Even when you’re against people you don’t know, bike races are bike races and you have to turn yourself inside out for the result.”

Asked if the climbs hurt, he laughed and said: “I wouldn’t say its on the scale of Mont Ventoux (a French mountain that regularly features in Le Tour) because it’s only an eight minute climb, but as much as an eight minute climb can hurt, it did.”

As has been the case since Australia’s oldest stage race began in Southbank last Wednesday night, another very large crowd turned out to watch the marquee man do his thing and they got everything they could have hoped for. It was an absolute masterclass and spectators could be heard telling each other “that was fantastic” at the finish.

Britain's Chris Froome finishes first overall to claim the Jayco Herald Sun title.

Other riders have been equally impressed, not just by Froome’s intimidating talent - when he puts the hammer down, most are simply left gasping in the slipstream - but by his “good bloke” factor.

While the trip was basically a training exercise for a huge year ahead, he showed the race plenty of respect. That was often not the case years ago when the Sun Tour, as it was then, would be cynically used as an end-of-season holiday by European riders.

“It’s definitely been worthwhile,” he said. “It’s a great race to come to. I’m surprised more World Tour teams aren’t doing the same. I imagine they probably will in the future.”

Froome rode the Tour once before, in 2008, before it was drastically revamped, and has been pleased to see the big crowds. “It’s great to see how the sport has grown. It seems a lot more people are interested in it out on the roads and just generally there is a great vibe around the race.”

With interesting racing every day, five different winners of the prologue and four road stages, beautiful weather and the big crowds, there haven’t been many - if any - more successful editions of the 63 year old race.

Overwhelmingly, the chance to “see Froome zoom” - the race catch-cry - was the reason for that. Hopefully it happens again next year.

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