Israel-Premier Tech decided not to include Britain’s four-time Tour de France champion, Chris Froome, in their eight-member team.
This comes as a surprise as Froome, 38, had been part of the squad since 2021, targeting a full-fledged comeback following a horrific crash in 2019 that resulted in severe injuries.
The celebrated cyclist, who hasn’t clinched a win since 2018, has been plagued by recurrent mechanical problems during his preparations for the upcoming Tour.
Froome asserted that he is ready on a physical level but expressed regret to GCN over his inability to demonstrate his complete potential due to equipment malfunctions.
In the 2022 Tour de France, Froome had to withdraw at the 17th stage after testing positive for Covid-19. Speaking on his omission from the 2023 race.
Froome stated, “I respect the team’s decision and will take some time before refocusing on objectives later in the season and returning to the Tour de France in 2024.”
Before joining Israel-Premier Tech, Froome had been an integral part of Team Sky, securing seven Grand Tours in a decade.
His victories included Tour de France titles in 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2017, the Giro d’Italia in 2018, and the Vuelta a Espana in 2011 and 2017.
Despite his high-profile accomplishments, the cyclist has found it challenging to regain his peak form since the transfer, primarily due to several enforced bicycle replacements.
Speaking on the selection process, Israel-Premier Tech’s General Manager, Kjell Carlstrom, revealed: “It was a tough decision to select our Tour de France team this year but we feel we selected eight riders best suited to fulfilling our performance objectives.”
He further highlighted the team’s depth, adding that the difficult decision underscores the strength of their rider group.
