Open the TdF history books & take your pick. It's a race often filled with the most unlikely comebacks, resurrections & stage wins/performances which defy physics, science & reality. I once as a kid sat gobsmacked at the sight of Richard Virenque holding off prime 2002 Lance on the Ventoux. I once watched Voeckler turn into a GC climber because "reasons" (or how about old man Lance out of retirement getting a podium in 2009? Insane, but before the eventual revelations, people had cheered it, i.e. for example a "Chapeau, le Texan" headline in L'Equipe at the time). Cavendish last year was already 'crazy' but now it all seems accepted as normal. There's way more & everyone will remember weirdness to varying degrees. 7 days before the Tour the notion a completely washed-up Chris Froome could win a stage seems like a joke. But, this isn't just sport, it's also
showbusiness.
I say Froome has 99% more chance of a DNF than winning a stage but history tells us that 1% of potential "OMG what the hell am I watching?"
does exist. For what it's worth, Froome would become the oldest stage winner since 1976 if he does indeed nab a stage:
Oldest stage winners | ProCyclingStats
Judging by his non-existent form & the data, he really has absolutely no business going to the TdF to target a stage because the odds are astronomically slim. In fact it's the very fact he's going which I find perturbing, i.e. because if sport & even his image were the primary concerns, he'd be retired already. Riding around gruppetto, getting dropped like a stone & failing to have any impact on the race (or help his teammates) doesn't look good.
I can hear the stampede of his defense force already, i.e. "he's so brave ur such a filthy hater shut up!". Yeah, he's also taking someone else's spot at the TdF.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram