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Chris Froome reportedly mulling mid-season move ahead of Tour de France

August switch could see four-time yellow jersey winner ride for Team Ineos rival as undisputed leader

Chris Froome is reportedly seeking a mid-season transfer from Team Ineos, with speculation that he may be wearing the colours of a rival team at the Tour de France, which is currently due to start in Nice on 29 August.

The 34-year-old is seeking what would be a record-equalling fifth victory in the race, the last two editions of which have been won by his team-mates Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal.

Froome missed last year’s race through injury, meaning that August could be the first time Team Ineos takes to the start line with three riders who have won the race.

Bernal has made it clear that he does not want to ride in support of another member of the team this year, with Cyclingnews.com suggesting that as a possible reason for Froome looking to ride for a rival team.

Froome’s contract with Team Ineos expires at the end of the year. He has not signed a contract extension yet and is reported to be in discussions with several teams for next season.

Under UCI rules, transfer announcements can only be made from 1 August, which in any other year would be a week or so after the Tour de France has finished.

Almost always, riders officially switch teams at the end of the year when their contract expires, but mid-season moves are permitted under UCI regulations, so long as all parties agree and the switch is made in the first two weeks of August.

But with the Tour de France postponed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and currently scheduled to start at the end of August, a mid-season switch could see Froome join a team where he has undisputed leadership, while also resolving a potential source of conflict within Team Ineos itself.

According to Cyclingnews.com, two teams have contacted Froome regarding a potential move either in August, or at the end of the year.

The rider himself did not comment on that speculation when contacted by the website, but said: “Following my crash last year and subsequent recovery I am extremely confident that I can return to Tour winning form. Which team that will be with beyond 2020, I don’t know yet.

“I have no intention of retiring any time soon,” he added. “If anything, the crash has given me a renewed focus and drive. I have worked harder than I ever have to get back to where I am. I won’t let that be for nothing.”

While Froome, a founder member of Team Ineos since it began racing as Team Sky in 2010, is determined to secure a fifth victory in the race, time is not on his side.

He turns 35 next Tuesday, and if the Tour de France did go ahead this year and Froome won it, he would be the second-oldest winner in the 117-year history of the race, and the oldest in 98 years.

Only the Belgian rider, Firmin Lambot, who was aged 36 years 180 days when he secured his second overall victory in the race in 1922, has won the race at an older age than Froome is now.

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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timearl | 4 years ago
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"Bernal has made it clear that he does not want to ride in support of another  member of the team."

Is he running the team now? They should tell him to get on his bike, on principle.

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jollygoodvelo | 4 years ago
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It's almost certainly contract negotiation tactics, but Ineos are not sentimental, they will have told him he's not sole leader.  He won't go anywhere he doesn't have a team to support him though.  In previous years I'd have wondered whether Trek would be ideal - linking up with Porte again - but Nibali's presence now makes that complicated, unless Nibali is committing to the Giro...

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handlebarcam | 4 years ago
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I'm sceptical he will move, but I hope he does. He seems like a fairly nice bloke, as competitive sportspeople go, and I could wish him success if he were riding for a team with a less objectionable sponsor (so not Bahrain or UAE.)

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Awavey | 4 years ago
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Isnt the key phrase there if all parties agree,why would Ineos agree to letting a rival team take a rider like Froome who instantly becomes a major threat to their own TdF ambitions. It's one thing having multi capable winners in your own team all riding for the win,its another thing entirely to set them up to compete against you.

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mdavidford replied to Awavey | 4 years ago
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Possibly because they don't consider that he would be a major threat to their own TdF ambitions. If his recovery and form were anything like where he's been making out, it's hard to imagine he would even be making slight noises about potentially heading elsewhere, as both he and the team would be keen to continue together. Even if it is just a negotiating tactic, needing to do that suggests the team are dubious about his ability to perform at his previous level.

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Awavey replied to mdavidford | 4 years ago
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but its not the kind of risk the guy who has spent his whole career talking up the marginal gains, would ever countenance IMO, and it smacks of hubris if they did, which for all their success and issues theyve had, theyve never struck me as quite operating like that.

Froome on another team would be a GC contender form or no form, just like all the other GC contenders on other teams are, Ineos name is not already stamped on the trophy, and it becomes extra workload for their riders to counter the extra attacks on stages that would undoubtedly follow, why would they agree to make it harder for them to win the one race they put all their effort into winning ?

Froome is 35 next week, we know he isnt the long term rider for Ineos, so any contract discussions theyve had probably reflects that position, and maybe as a result they will part ways before this season ends (if it even starts) but I cant for the life of me see why Ineos would agree to that move before the TdF.

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Shipley | 4 years ago
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He can't confirm his form, he's desperate to keep himself in the limelight but without the Ineos/Sky train he won't have a hope. Either he's posturing, or the new kids on the block have him rattled as, quite rightly, they have no need to be subservient. 

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Sniffer | 4 years ago
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I suspect this is just contract negotiation stuff at the moment.  You are in a stronger position to negotiate a new contract with INEOS for 2021/22 if you show that you have alternative options.

My guess, Froome won't go anywhere in 2020.

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Toffee | 4 years ago
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Obviously, pretty much any team would want Froome, but who do we reckon? Jumbo Visma wouldn't with Dumoulin and Roglic (and Kruijswijk).

My guesses are: Sunweb, Trek-Segafredo and (most likely) Bahrain McLaren.

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Liam Cahill replied to Toffee | 4 years ago
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I saw the tweet from the spoof account yesterday, but my money is still on Israel Start-Up Nation. No real GC rider and backed by what I'd imagine is a rather sizeable pot of cash.

Sunweb - No real GC leader (but have they switched focus). Got the cash?

Bahrain - Surely cash isn't an issue. Landa is this thinking 'oh ffs, not again'! I'll prep the #FreeLanda

Lotto - Same as Sunweb

NTT - Africa connection(?). Cash?

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