Four-time champion Chris Froome left OUT of the Tour de France after being omitted from Team Ineos’ eight-man squad… with 2018 winner Geraint Thomas also overlooked
Chris Froome has been overlooked by Team Ineos in their eight-man squad for the Tour de France.
Froome, who has won the prestigious event on four occasions, was joined by 2018 champion Geraint Thomas in failing to land a place on the squad for the upcoming event, which begins on August 29.
Egan Bernal has been selected as Ineos’ outright leader and he is joined in the team by Richard Carapaz, Andrey Amador, Jonathan Castroviejo, Michal Kwiatkowski, Luke Rowe, Pavel Sivakov and Dylan van Baarle.
Team principal Sir Dave Brailsford said: ‘Chris is a legend of our sport, a true champion who has demonstrated incredible grit and determination to come back from his crash… the Vuelta gives him that little bit more time to continue his progress to the top level.’
The pair’s surprise omission suggests a long-term plan to have Froome lead the team for La Vuelta in Spain while Thomas would set the pace for Ineos at the Giro D’Italia.
More to follow.