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Updated: Chris Froome and BMC Racing rubbish Team Sky star transfer rumour

L'Equipe said Tour de France champion unhappy with way Sky's image has been tarnished and wants out...

Chris Froome and BMC Racing have rubbished a report in this morning's edition of French sports daily l’Equipe that the three-time Tour de France champion wants to leave Team Sky despite having a year of his contract to run and had approached the US-based team with an offer to join it for a salary of €5 million a year.

Speaking before the start of today's Stage 5 of the Criterium du Dauphiné, Froome told Cyclingnews.com that the French newspaper's report was "complete rubbish."

BMC Racing general manager Jim Ochowicz told Cycling Weekly: “It’s a complete lie. That’s a lie.

“I wouldn’t even classify it as a rumour," he added. "It’s a flat-out lie.”

If that is the case, one might be entitled to wonder why L'Equipe might publish a story so close to the Tour de France, where Froome is looking for a fourth victory in five years and BMC Racing's Richie Porte looks set to start among the favourites given his strong showing so far in the Dauphiné where he won yesterday's individual time trial and lies second overall.

Could it be an attempt to destabilise both teams ahead of a race where last year's runner-up, AG2R-La Mondiale's Romain Bardet, carries the hopes of a home victory for the first time since Bernard Hinault's fifth and final victory in 1985? 

According to L'Equipe's report, BMC Racing general manager Jim Ochowicz was said to have rebuffed the approach for now, with his priority being to secure existing backer TAG Heuer as replacement sponsor for Swiss bike brand BMC.

The 32-year-old, a founder member of Team Sky when it began racing in 2010, has reportedly unhappy with the team’s involvement in the ‘Jiffy Bag’ affair over a medicine delivered for Sir Bradley Wiggins at the 2011 Criterium du Dauphiné that is the subject of a UK Anti-Doping investigation.

He has said that the controversy over that and Therapeutic Use Exemptions issued to Wiggins ahead of races including the 2012 Tour de France, which he won with Froome second, threatened to tarnish Team Sky’s clean image as well as casting a cloud over his own performances.

> Froome: I want answers about Wiggins' injections

Froome has been reported as being disappointed with Sir Dave Brailsford’s handling of the issue, with rumours intensifying of a rift between the pair earlier this year when the team had to pull a letter expressing support for Brailsford after it turned out its star rider hadn’t signed it.

Subsequently, Froome issued a statement in which he gave Brailsford his support, but also made clear he was not happy with how the team had dealt with the negative publicity that had engulfed it in the preceding months.

> “Without Dave B, there is no Team Sky” – Chris Froome finally comes out in support of Sir Dave Brailsford

He said: “I completely understand why people feel let down by the way in which the situation has been handled, and going forward we need to do better.”

Froome added: “I would like to apologise for this on behalf of myself and the other riders of Team Sky who feel passionately about our sport and winning clean. I believe in the people around me, and what we are doing.”

L’Equipe’s report comes the day after BMC Racing’s hope for this year’s Tour de France, Froome’s close friend and former lieutenant at Team Sky, Richie Porte, put in a towering performance to win the Stage 4 time trial at the Criterium du Dauphiné.

Froome – who is looking to win the week-long race for a record fourth time – finished eighth, 37 seconds down on the Australian, while Lotto Soudal’s Thomas De Gendt retains the overall lead, with Porte moving into second place, 27 seconds behind him.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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34 comments

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HarrogateSpa | 6 years ago
0 likes

As pointed out above, if Froome were unhappy about Sky's reputation, why would he go and join Jim 'I'm Lance Armstrong's friend' Ochowicz at BMC? It doesn't make any sense.

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Sadly Biggins | 6 years ago
0 likes

"a home victory for the first time since Bernard Hinault's fourth and final victory in 1985?"

Hinault won the TdF five times

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Stumps | 6 years ago
0 likes

Its a load of shite, stirred up by the french because their great race has been won by a British team, remember them complaining that our track riders wheels were too round ? 

Its the eve of the TdF and they can't stand to see their so called superstars humbled once again so they start to stir it up in the hope that it causes friction in the team and puts Froome and possibly Porte off.

 

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SNS1938 | 6 years ago
0 likes

This would be great. Right now, we have the strongest GC rider with the strongest team. I'd far rather see more of a mix of GC strength and team strength. Perhaps then we'd see a lesser GC rider fall apart in the mountains once their stronger team has done there work etc. The recent TdF's just seem to have been Froome getting a lead and gradually growing it to Paris. The 2017 Giro was great with the lead changing hands at least. You didnt know who was going to win until Qintana got to the last couple of km's in the ITT.

Poor TJ would need to rethink things if he drops to the No:3 GC rider at BMC. And Sky would need to go poach Aru or someone to replace Froome. Thomas has too much bad luck.

 

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ragtimecyclist | 6 years ago
1 like

Eh...what..?

L'Equipe making mischief on the eve of the Tour de France?

Sacre bleu!!

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Colin Peyresourde | 6 years ago
2 likes

Also, let's pause and reflect on Jim Ochowiscz's impeccable and uncontroversial regime as a cycling team manager for a moment.

Done.

Like he is any better than Sky with 'baggie-gate'.

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RobD | 6 years ago
0 likes

Is this perhaps a pre-emptive release ahead of him not having a good tour this year? putting it down to not being happy at his current team? or trying to stir up Sky a bit to offer him some more money and focus on him more?

Not sure I could see that many teams for him to go to, BMC possibly if they're thinking of letting Teejay VG go at the end of the year, Movistar, Sunweb, Astana (career suicide) Orica, all have their own GC riders that they're built around, Trek would maybe be the other option but doesn't seem like the best fit.

I don't really understand a lot of the general dislike for him, he's a bit different and seems slightly like an outsider, but he seems like a nicer guy than some of those out there (but he's no Tom Dumoulin)

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hsiaolc | 6 years ago
0 likes

Fake or real, If I am BMC I wouldn't take on Froome.  Porte looks in great shape. 

Froome should be content where he is at. 

Good luck to him. 

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DaveE128 | 6 years ago
0 likes

If this is true (I'm not sure at all) then it's pretty unprofessional of whoever (presumably) at BMC leaked this isn't it?

I still don't understand all the hate for Froome.

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Simon E | 6 years ago
13 likes

Whre would it leave Sky's Tour GC ambitions if he went to another team?

It's odd how some people seem to find it very easy take a dislike to him. He's not British enough; he's not African enough; he rides for Sky; he's better than Wiggins; he's the wrong shape for a climber; he hasn't had the 'correct' route to the top level; he doesn't compete enough; he takes a gel late in a crucial stage; he's no pedaleur de charme; he is too driven / too polite; he rides faster than Lance up certain climbs....

I thought cycle sport was about trying to win races, but too many people seem to want to find heroes to worship that must have all the qualities they admire (and lack themselves) and none of the ones they dislike. Yet these athletes are just men or women like the rest of us. They're just very, very good at pedalling.

I can't see what they find so bothersome. After reading his book I had the feeling that he is possibly more interesting than most pro cyclists.

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Jackson replied to Simon E | 6 years ago
3 likes
Simon E wrote:

Whre would it leave Sky's Tour GC ambitions if he went to another team?

It's odd how some people seem to find it very easy take a dislike to him. He's not British enough; he's not African enough; he rides for Sky; he's better than Wiggins; he's the wrong shape for a climber; he hasn't had the 'correct' route to the top level; he doesn't compete enough; he takes a gel late in a crucial stage; he's no pedaleur de charme; he is too driven / too polite; he rides faster than Lance up certain climbs....

I thought cycle sport was about trying to win races, but too many people seem to want to find heroes to worship that must have all the qualities they admire (and lack themselves) and none of the ones they dislike. Yet these athletes are just men or women like the rest of us. They're just very, very good at pedalling.

I can't see what they find so bothersome. After reading his book I had the feeling that he is possibly more interesting than most pro cyclists.

It's entertainment. People go for the guy with a mullet who pulls wheelies, not the sick-looking guy seemingly devoid of any personality. I actually agree with you that he comes off as more interesting in his book than he does in real life.
I reckon he should go to Qhubeka by virtue of the fact that he is actually African... or at least more African than Cav. They've got a much cleaner image and look like they'd be more of a laugh.

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surly_by_name replied to Jackson | 6 years ago
5 likes

Jackson wrote:
Simon E wrote:

It's odd [etc, etc].

People go for the guy with a mullet who pulls wheelies...

In fairness, the guy with the mullet who pulls wheelies has won a few races in his time.

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Jackson replied to surly_by_name | 6 years ago
1 like
surly_by_name wrote:

Jackson wrote:
Simon E wrote:

It's odd [etc, etc].

People go for the guy with a mullet who pulls wheelies...

In fairness, the guy with the mullet who pulls wheelies has won a few races in his time.

Well yeah. Also most serious cycling fans don't appreciate the singular focus on the TdF. They didn't like it in Armstrong and they don't like it in Froome. At least Wiggo went and did Paris-Roubaix etc which is why the French and Belgians liked him.

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handlebarcam | 6 years ago
3 likes

If Contador is really retiring at the end of the season this time, there'd be a gap at Trek-Segafredo. But, let's face it, if it's bad PR that he's worrying about (it can't really be the jiffy bag itself, surely in the six years since either he has become accustomed to their methods or they've genuinely changed) then professional cycling in general hardly has much better a reputation than Team Sky. Perhaps a change of sport? We know from last July he can run, so how about that? Maybe he could ask Mo Farah to put a word in with his coach... oh... no... Tennis? Maybe Maria Sharapova could give him some tips... ah... um... Tiddlywinks?

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grahamTDF | 6 years ago
0 likes

Journo's on the Twitter all writing this off as nonsense.

Even cycling news and I always thought they would hype anything for an click!

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missionsystem | 6 years ago
4 likes

However hard I try I just cannot foster any find of affection for Froome as a rider or an individual - not that he cares, of course.

This episode doesn't really help.

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peted76 | 6 years ago
2 likes

Smells of fake news to me.. or worse a falsely leaked but convieniently times news story by Froomes' agent... A rider's manager should be doing his or her job and be on the look out for a better contract and I'm sure they have lots of informal conversations about what it would take and would they be interested, a year left on Froomes contract is probably the perfect timing to be having these conversations and or releasing these rumours.

Nothing to see here, move on. 

 

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Rich_cb | 6 years ago
1 like

Thought this might be on the cards when he was so slow to back Brailsford.

Not sure BMC is the best fit, depends how Porte goes in the TdF I suppose.

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700c | 6 years ago
3 likes

But he has also taken TUE's?

Sky subject to more scrutiny than most teams so does he think a move to BMC will lessen the scrutiny he is under?

Would be good news for Thomas at least.

 

 

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s_lim replied to 700c | 6 years ago
3 likes

700c wrote:

But he has also taken TUE's?

Sky subject to more scrutiny than most teams so does he think a move to BMC will lessen the scrutiny he is under?

Would be good news for Thomas at least.

 

Sky deserve the scrutiny they get; bullshitters from the point they realised they weren't winning anything and had to bring in Leinders. And Thomas is a product of that, like it or not. He's got no pedigree as a GC rider, and all of a sudden we're to just accept that he'll be amazing? 

 

Froome - if he goes, well, best of luck. I enjoy watching him. I think he's relatively clean; as clean as anyone in pro cycling is...

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Vili Er replied to s_lim | 6 years ago
1 like

s_lim wrote:

700c wrote:

But he has also taken TUE's?

Sky subject to more scrutiny than most teams so does he think a move to BMC will lessen the scrutiny he is under?

Would be good news for Thomas at least.

Sky deserve the scrutiny they get; bullshitters from the point they realised they weren't winning anything and had to bring in Leinders. And Thomas is a product of that, like it or not. He's got no pedigree as a GC rider, and all of a sudden we're to just accept that he'll be amazing? 

 

You swerved the main issue in 700c's post like a Tory MP. Chris Froome has also taken TUE's in the past with one course (prednisolone) neatly timed before the Tour de Romandie which he went on to win. This however gets bypassed by the press and Froome's 'people' because unlike an easy target like a retired Wiggins, the Kenyan is still in the Pro peloton

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Jackson | 6 years ago
5 likes

Porte will need a strong guy in the mountains getting him bottles.  

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stenmeister replied to Jackson | 6 years ago
6 likes

Jackson wrote:

Porte will need a strong guy in the mountains getting him bottles.  

 

Or handing him an illegal energy gel.

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AlaninEssex | 6 years ago
1 like

Clearly, this is something that he has to do. Is this the beginning of the end for team sky?

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check12 | 6 years ago
1 like

Bmc, where great cyclists go to get paid and perform poorly. Possibly froome's last big contract, lets make it a huge one! 

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missionsystem replied to check12 | 6 years ago
2 likes

check12 wrote:

Bmc, where great cyclists go to get paid and perform poorly. Possibly froome's last big contract, lets make it a huge one! 

Think that's a bit hard on GVA who is numero uno in the World Rankings after all!

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check12 replied to missionsystem | 6 years ago
0 likes

True, GVA wasn't a world beater when he joined so seems to have missed out on the bmc curse that Gilbert suffered from.

 

missionsystem wrote:

check12 wrote:

Bmc, where great cyclists go to get paid and perform poorly. Possibly froome's last big contract, lets make it a huge one! 

Think that's a bit hard on GVA who is numero uno in the World Rankings after all!

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Must be Mad | 6 years ago
1 like

He would need a team with the right backup (domestiques) and also presumably, a team which does not have a poorer rep than Sky.

 

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Charlie-CarbsAn... | 6 years ago
1 like

Why would BMC sign him, they already have porte, makes zero sense. Surely he would go to a team without a GC contender

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