Chris Froome – Top 5 Tour de France Moments

Chris Froome has provided us with many a memorable moment over the last 7 years at the Tour de France. Take a look at a few of our personal favourites below and let us know if you agree…

Top 5 Froome TDF moments

1. Froome runs up Ventoux

With Froome already in yellow as the 2016 Tour reached staged 12, few people were doubting that he would be able to hold onto the famous jersey all the way to Paris. However, with the prospect of a summit finish up the mighty Mont Ventoux looming, everyone knew anything could happen and it was most certainly all to play for.

As the race reached the foot of the climb, Froome was still looking comfortable in the leading group with the other GC contenders. We all watched at home waiting to see who would attack first.

Strong winds at the summit meant the organisers had been forced to move the finish line 6km down the mountain, forcing spectators to cram the roads far less spread out than normal.

With just over 1km to go Froome was in a small leading group battling their way through thousands of fans who were all over the road. In the chaos, Ritchie Porte collided with a motorbike, sending himself, Froome and Bauke Mollema crashing down.

With his bike damaged and the support car out of sight, Froome made the quick decision to set off on foot. Froome’s closest rivals in the GC, Quintana and Yates both spend past Froome as he desperately tried to limit his losses.

He eventually managed to get another bike and finish the stage 1min 44secs behind the stage winner.

In the aftermath, the race organisers decided to give all 3 men in the crash the same time. Looking back it was right decision in the circumstances.

2. Froome attacks Wiggins

The 2012 Tour de France gave Britain it’s first ever winner of the event in Bradley Wiggins. It was also the year that Chris Froome announced himself to the world as a future winner. Wiggins was sitting in yellow and looking very good with a strong team around him. Stage 8 saw the first test in the mountains and provided us with some real drama.

On the final climb of the day, La Toussuire, Froome and Wiggins were both sat in the lead group with the other GC contenders. Everything seemed to be going perfectly to plan for Team Sky until with 4km to go and Wiggins looking to be breathing heavily, Froome accelerated hard, dropping Wiggins and the rest of the group in seconds. Froome looking strong could have surely ridden to the finish line for the stage win but had the team and Wiggins given him the green light for such a move?

Orders were soon passed through the radio to slow down and wait for Wiggns which Froome quickly did. It did however made for a lot of awkward questions and moments between the two for the rest of the 2012 race.

3. Froome’s crazy descent

We saw something new and very inventive from Froome on stage 8 of the 2016 Tour. The leading group headed over the summit of Col de Peyresourde with just the descent between them and the finish line. Froome quickly attacked, taking all his rivals by surprise. In the blink of an eye he had built up a 10 second advantage over the chasing group but with 15km to go until the finish in Bagneres-de-Luchon, surely he would be reeled back in!

Unfortunately for his rivals Froome had been working on a new technique for the descent, allowing him to adopt a super aerodynamic position while still pedalling furiously.

The attack worked a charm with Froome holding on to the lead all the way to the finish and taking the yellow jersey.

 4. Froome’s win on Ventoux

2013 saw Froome become the first Briton to win on Mont Ventoux with a spectacular ride up the legendary mountain.

Froome was already in yellow going into stage 15 of the race with a summit finish up Ventoux the highlight. Quintana attacked early and built up a 50 second advantage over the chasing group on the ascent.

Froome still had Peter Kennaugh and Richie Porte at his disposal and soon gave Kennaugh the nob to begin reeling in the Columbian. After a monumental 4km full gas effort, Kennaugh finally peeled off and handed the reins over to Porte. 

Froome still had Alberto Contador for company as the riders entered the final third of the climb up the famous baron Ventoux landscape.

When Froome accelerated past Porte, Contador was clearly in trouble and quickly dropped. Froome was soon on the wheel of Quintana and the 2 warriors were left to battle it out. With 2km to go Froome sensed blood and with one last acceleration was able to drop his rival and ride to the summit for a memorable stage win.

5. Froome wins four 

Winning a fourth yellow Jersey in 2017 put Froome in a different class and really moved him to within touching distance of the all time legends of the sport. 

Only the legendary Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain – all with five wins – stand above Froome now in the all time list. 

With a few good years still ahead of him but a new force within Team Sky in the form of Geraint Thomas its going to be very interesting to see if Froome can find the fifth win. 

The 2017 tour was a hard fought victory with Rigoberto Uran and Romain Bardet pushing all the way to Paris.

Hope you enjoyed remembering some of these classic Tour de France moments. 

Let us know your favourite Froome moment below.