Giro 2018: Froome confirms participation

Chris Froome is indeed going to try and win next year’s Giro d’Italia ahead of his far more predictable appearance in the Tour de France.

There have been a number of reports suggesting that Froome will ride the Giro next year. After taking last year’s Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana, victory in Italy would mean he was the current champion in all three Grand Tours.

Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reported on Monday that a source within organisers RCS had confirmed Froome’s entry to them and The Telegraph subsequently claimed that his Giro participation was due to be confirmed this week, sources close to Team Sky having told the newspaper that he was “90 per cent sure” to take part.

Questioned about these claims by Fairfax Media, Froome himself said they were nothing more than speculation: "I haven't even confirmed my own programme yet so I don't know how other people know that before me."

However, his claims that an upcoming training camp in Spain was when the decision would finally be made were not entirely truthful.

Yes, I am racing the 2018 @giroditalia @TeamSky #Giro101

— Chris Froome (@chrisfroome) November 29, 2017

Former rival Alberto Contador certainly thinks that Froome has it in him to win in Italy, reports Sport 24.

"He's an extremely strong rider and I see him perfectly capable of winning the Giro," said the Spaniard. "He has a very strong team that can support him perfectly, whether it's on the Giro or on the Tour."

Alberto Contador has 40-odd bikes and keeps them in "a kind of museum”

Froome has also restated his belief that he is still improving as a rider.

"I feel as if year on year, I'm still learning more and more about myself, learning more and more about the sport," he said. "Just small knowhow parts of our sport that only come with making those errors yourself and being out on the road yourself. I still feel that every year I'm building that bank of knowledge and still improving as a rider.

"For example in the last couple of years, something I've really worked on is my descending. That's shown in races these last couple of years."

The 2018 Giro d’Italia route will be officially announced later today.