Former champions Froome and Thomas are not nominated for the Tour

Famous British cyclist Chris Froome will not ride this year’s Tour de France.

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Both British riders struggled last week for the Criteria du Dauphiné, which serves as the traditional general on the Tour. Thomas took 37th place. Froome finished in 71st place with a loss of almost an hour and a half to the winning Colombian Daniel Martínez. Bernal did not finish Gritérium due to back problems, but he should be fine on the Tour.

“Chris needs a little more time to get to the top,” said Ineos team boss Dave Brailsford.

Froome admitted that the five-stage race in France came too soon. “I’m fine. I’m not in pain, I’m not bothered anymore. But this was definitely a big kick for me. I’m still on my way to getting in the best shape,” said the Nairobi native.

Froome, who will transfer to the Israeli Start-Up Nation stable after the season, was seriously injured last year during the Critéria du Dauphiné and is still looking for a former form. Instead of the Tour, he should get a chance at the Vuelta at the turn of October and November.

“As for my return and further improvement, there are a few important steps ahead of me that are needed to be able to win the race again. I’m not sure at the moment that I can do all the work that is expected of me on this year’s Tour. But I believe that everything will fit together on the Vuelta, it’s a much more realistic goal, and it gives me the opportunity to achieve something that is really real, “said Froome.

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“I have to readjust everything and move my goals from the Tour de France to the Vuelta, but if I take what I went through last year … I was able to get incredibly together from that big accident and I’m already very happy that I’m back and I can race at all, “added Froome, winner of the 2011 and 2017 Vuelta.

“Chris is a true champion who has shown incredible courage and determination to return after last year’s accident. We want to support him in the fight for another Grand Tour title and will have a little more time before the Vuelta to reach the top level,” said Brailsford. to the address of the 35-year-old winner of seven Grand Tours. Froome reigned supreme on the Tour in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017.

A year younger, Thomas will perform at the October Giro d’Italia, where he can attack the second title from the Grand Tour. “It’s nice to finally have a plan and know exactly what awaits me. I can try to get some positives from this year. And I love racing in Italy, I really enjoy it there. I’m glad to be back at the Giro,” he said. Thomas, who has raced three times in the past. The last time he had a fall on Giro was in 2017, due to which he did not finish.

The Tour de France will start with a two-month delay due to coronavirus on August 29 in Nice. Ineos, formerly known as Sky, has dominated seven of the last eight years of the race. Bernal and debutants Carapaz, who were nominated by Andrey Amador, Jonathan Castroviejo, Michal Kwiatkowski, Luke Rowe, Pavel Sivakov and Dylan van Baarle, will seek to extend their dominance.

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