Chris Froome begins his 2023 season at the Tour Down Under in Australia with no thought of retirement despite starting his 16th season as a professional rider and with his 38th birthday coming up on May 20th.
Froome has struggled to return to the form that saw him win the Tour de France four times following his terrible crash at the 2019 Critérium du Dauphiné. Yet he refused to let his multiple fractures and the need for long rehabilitation to deter him.
When Froome joined Israel-Premier Tech in 2021, details on the length of his contract were not revealed but team owner Sylvan Adams suggested Froome would end his career with the team.
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Adams has said Froome has a rolling contract, while Cyclingnews understands Froome inked a five-year deal, that will run until the end of 2025 when Froome will be more than 40.
While former teammate and friend Richie Porte is enjoying his retirement and Thibaut Pinot has announced he will retire at the end of 2023 aged just 33, Froome wants to race on, whatever results may come.
"I feel I've been given a second chance. I've been given an opportunity to come back to bike racing and the sport I love. Had the crash marked the end of my career, I'd have felt I still had more to give," he said on the eve of the Tour Down Under.
"Even though I'm not at the front end of races now, I'm still getting a lot of pleasure doing my job and being part of the Israel-Premier Tech team. It's as if I've rewound 15 years and that I'm looking to get to the top level. It's a fresh approach for me and hoping to do it for a few more years."
Froome has a Benjamin Button look to him or at least does not appear aged despite his long years in the saddle. He still seems to enjoy every aspect of being a high-profile professional athlete.
He is convinced it is thanks to the hard work he did to complete his rehabilitation and the way he looks after himself now.
"We're seeing it in so many other sports. It's great to see some of the older guys in tennis still extremely competitive and in cycling we had Valverde who's only just retired and raced into his forties, still being extremely competitive," Froome pointed out.
"I think it's a lot to do with how athletes are taking care of themselves these days. In terms of professionalism, diets, knowing more about our bodies and basically being able to look after ourselves longer, I think this allows cyclists to go further into their forties than previously."
Froome has again opted to migrate from the cold of the European winter to train in a warmer climate. He will spend a total of five weeks in Australia, adding the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race to his programme and then staying in down under for a mini-training camp with teammate Simon Clarke. He will return to Europe briefly and then travel to Africa to ride the Tour du Rwanda between February 19-26.
"I've always found that going somewhere in January, where I've got the opportunity to put in bigger miles where the climate is warmer and more similar to the European summer, is always beneficial for me," he explained.
"That's part of the big motivation to come down here, to get in the workload. I'll take the heat over the cold any day. I want to make the most of the warm weather."
"It's the first time I'll ride the Tour de Rwanda and the first time back to Africa for a while. I'm looking forward to discovering the race and a chance to check-out the Fields of Dreams cycling project the team is developing."
Froome was finally able to ride without pain in 2022 and impressed on stage 12 of the Tour de France to L'Alpe d'Huez when he joined the break of the stage. He wasn't able to hold onto eventual stage winner Tom Pidcock or runner-up Louis Meintjes, but he finished third, proving he could climb well and be competitive once again.
Unfortunately, Froome was then hit by COVID-19 like a number of riders on the second rest day and couldn't take the start of stage 18. The impact of the virus and Tour de France fatigue knocked him for six. He rode and finished the Vuelta a España but was unable to continue his progression.
A second bout of COVID-19 just before Christmas spoilt his holidays, disrupted his training and meant he is not expecting to be competitive at the Tour de Under.
"The second bout of COVID-19 wasn't nearly like the first time so I'm happy that I don't have any ongoing effects. I'm just looking forward to getting stuck into the race and now and getting to work on my form," he said.
"The Tour Down Under is always an event to jump-start the season. Generally, the locals are in great shape having just done the national championships, so the level is pretty good."
"Simon Clarke was in great shape for Israel-Premier Tech but he got a bit ill. We hope he can recover [from COVID-19 – Ed.] in time for the start on Tuesday. We've got a strong squad because Darryl Impey is here and Corbin Strong is in good shape too; so we'll get around those guys."
Froome goals for 2023 are pretty simple and not overly ambitious. A fifth Tour de France victory remains a dream and an incentive but he is more realistic for now.
"I'd just like to pick up where I left off last year, build on that and get close to my old self again," Froome said.
"My season won't be too dissimilar from other years, riding stage races while heading towards the Tour de France. My main objective is to make the team and to get the best out of myself come July. I want to try and get back to the pointy end of the peloton. Whether that's at the Tour or anywhere else."
