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FONTENAY-LE-COMTE: Kristoff was close to victory (4th place), but he was going to act a lot on Chris Froome once more.
In the glittering heat, the 33-year-old follows what he always does after a stage of the Tour de France: in the shadow of the monumental Sky bus in the target area, he s'. sits on the bike roll and pulls out the muscles.
From all sides invaded with people. Many reporters reporting to all formats, some fans, one had brought the Froome cinema to sign (he had a signature) and, moreover, all those who waited more or less in the hope of seeing a bike star. Everyone followed every move made by the quadruple winner in the shadow of the bus.
There is always a little swirl around a rider of the caliber of Chris Froome. After all, the man has won the Tour de France four times and is also favorite to win this year.
Doping Shadows
But the road to the Tour de France was not a party. The doping case that was opened around the use of drugs against asthma shaded the existence. It was just a knockout from the UCI and AMA just before the start of the Tour, which allowed him to be allowed to participate in this year's Tour.
But even though he's never been so acquitted, French bikers are skeptical. They greeted the 33-year-old during the team's presentation on Thursday. They lost to Froome in the first leg on Sunday.
And if that was not enough, the French critics were allowed to hurt themselves when Froome struck four kilometers from the goal. He lost 51 seconds in the main field of this case, gaining a little more heavily his fifth TdF victory.
No good day for Chris Froome in other words.
Therefore, there was a weird brite that disappeared on the bus to Team Sky. A reporter desperately tried to start a conversation and asked how Froome had it.
– I'm fine thanks, he and the bicycle salesman of the world had an answer before jumping behind the curtain and getting on the air-cooled bus.
– This is special
It's all we've seen Chris Froome before moving on to the next step. Thus, there is virtually no jump in popularity among French cycling fans.
And if we believe one of Norway's leading experts in dealing with doping cases, lawyer Robin Mackenzie-Robinson, this is not a completely unfounded skepticism in cyclists.
He is surprised that there has been a complete release of Froome from the International Cycling Federation (UCI).
– I think most people were relatively sure that Froome was sentenced to a penalty. This in particular because the salbutamol values in his doping test were so high above the legal limit, "said Mackenzie Robinson in Aftenposten.
There were too high values of the active substance salbutamol in the asthma medication, which led to the opening of the doping bag against Froome. It is the same substance that Martin Johnsrud Sundby has been found guilty of abuse. The cases are not very similar, but have more similarities. [19659000] Skandale
Johnsrud Sundby was sentenced, Froome was acquitted
– The case as it is today is a multi-level scandal. First and foremost, the case under the current regulations should not have been published. While Sundby could remain quiet for nearly a year and a half without anyone else and his immediate entourage being aware of the doping issues, Froome had to withstand insane media pressure after the leak of his case. This has obviously been a major burden for him and has been very unfortunate for the reputation of cycling on a general level. Second, the reasoned decision in the Froome case must be made public. We are really left with more questions than answers. For how can Froome "escape" while other practitioners who have had salbutamol values lower than Froome are doomed?
Aftenposten tried to comment by Martin Johnsrud Sundby on Froome's case, but he does not want to do it now.
No Crisis
Now everyone in the Sky team was not as talkative as a team captain. Geraint Thomas, who is Froome's most important partner in the team, does not think the bow has anything to say.
Thomas was not as worried as two other favorites Richie Porte and Nairo Quintana also had a little late.
– This is not the end of the world what happened today, Thomas thought.
Kristoff's self-confidence
Alexander Kristoff was the Norwegian who initially had the best chance of fighting on the platform along the coast south of Brittany. And the spur of Rogaland was in place when it was decided. But it is finally the Colombian Fernando Gaviria who won in front of Peter Sagan.
– I was stiff and I had nothing more to give, Kristoff said after.
Despite the win, it was a result that gave confidence that the form is good enough for the stage victory later.
– I have hit a lot of strong runners today. I did better than expected. This can make it easier for me to access the spur. Giclée is fresh food, I had to fight more for the location than a few years ago, so now I get easier when I'm up there and I fight .
Edvald Boasson Hagen was to make sure Mark Cavendish was in a position. He did not succeed and Hagen was too far away when everything was decided. He finally finished in 20th place
Amund Grøndahl Jansen will play for Dylan Groenewegen on his LottoNL Jumbo team. Groenewegen came in 7th place. Jansen was not in the final and even reached 119th place.
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