Chris Froome experienced an emotional last stage in the Vuelta a España on Sunday, also his last appearance on behalf of INEOS Grenadiers. The 35-year-old Brit makes the switch to Israel Start-Up Nation after eleven years.
“It was obviously an emotional last day with the team,” said Froome after the eighteenth Vuelta stage in Madrid, where Primoz Roglic secured the overall victory. “I’m looking forward to what’s to come, but now is also time to look back at the highs and lows of the past eleven years.”
In July, it was announced that INEOS would not renew Froome’s expiring contract and that he would make the switch to Israel Start-Up Nation after this season. The seven-time Grand Tour winner achieved great success with the former Team Sky, but his period with the team went down like a candle.
This season – partly due to the consequences of his hard fall in the Critérium du Dauphiné in 2019 – Froome was far from his usual level. The four-time Tour winner was not selected for the Tour de France and in the Vuelta mainly played a serving role for leader Richard Carapaz, who finished second.
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Chris Froome played no significant role in this edition of the Tour of Spain. (Photo: ANP)
‘Vuelta 2011 was a special race for me’
Before and during the final stage, Froome thought back to the 2011 Vuelta, which he initially finished second. Due to suspicious blood values in the original winner Juan José Cobo, the Kenyan born was declared the winner in the summer of 2019. At the start of the last Vuelta stage, he was awarded a special trophy nine years later.
“I was still in intensive care when I was told last year that I had won the 2011 Vuelta”, said Froome, who was just recovering from his heavy fall in the Critérium du Dauphiné at the time. “That gave a very special feeling, because it was a special race for me.”
“It’s where I first discovered that I was able to ride for the GC in a Grand Tour. That gave me the confidence to try it in the Tour de France. This Vuelta was my first Grand Tour since my accident and although I am not yet at the desired level, I hope to be next year. “
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