Chris Froome: Who is the four-time Tour de France winner?
Chris Froome is one of the most successful riders in the history of the Tour de France, having won it four times - in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Froome’s parents are British, but he was born in Kenya and grew up there and in South Africa. He has cycled under a British licence since 2008, and in 2010 he moved to Team Sky and has since become one of the team’s key cyclists. Froome got involved in cycling at the age of 12 through Kenyan cyclist David Kinjah and would often go out on long bike rides with native Kenyan riders through rural highlands of Nairobi.
Kinjah said: “He got a lot of strange looks from people being the only white kid in the village, it was unusual. “But he quickly learned to speak Swahili and some of our regional language Kikuyu ad he was completely comfortable. The best language he spoke was the language of the bicycle. That was all he was interested in.” At the age of 14, Froome moved to one of South Africa’s top boarding schools and studied economic for two years at the University of Johannesburg. He kept up cycling by training for several hours a day cycling indoors.
Getty Chris Froome: Froome has won the Tour de France in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017
After completing his studying, he decided to pursue a cycling career. In 2006, he represented Kenya at the 2006 road world championship in Salzburg, Austria. Aged 22, he turned pro racing in South Africa, racing for the Team Konica Minolta and in 2008, he signed for Team Barloworld and competed in the Tour de France, finishing 84th. It was at this time, he came to the attention of British coach Rod Ellingworth, who was impressed by his climbing skills.
Getty Chris Froome: Froome won the Giro d’Italia in Rome this year
Even though, Froome had raced for Kenya, he held a British past and Ellingworth encouraged him to apply for a British racing license so he could benefit from the experience of British teams. In 2010 Froome joined Team Sky, but for much of that year he was plagued by the effects of schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease. The following year, he finished second in the Vuelta a Espana (Tour of Spain) and in 2012, he placed behind British Team Sky winner Bradley Wiggins in the Tour de France. At the London Olympics in 2012, he won bronze in the time trial and repeated the same feat when he led the team in the road and time trails events in Rio four years later. In 2013, he won his first Tour de France and the same year received the Velo d’Or award for best rider of the year and won the Tour de France again in 2015.
Getty Chris Froome: Froome will be looking for a fifth Tour de France victory
Tour de France 2017 standings: Results after Stage 20 time trial Sat, July 22, 2017 Express Sport runs through the Tour de France standings after the Stage 20 time trial Play slideshow Getty Images 1 of 10 10. Warren Barguil (Team Sunweb): +9mins 25secs