That and the fact LA was a real ba$tard. Can't say the same for the Spaniard, at least on personality. Had LA simply been a nice guy, and not the mafia boss he was, folks would have treated him with more indifference. Though one simply couldn't be indifferent toward the Texan, but this is entirely his own fault, not those who found him so repuslive.
Now, let's see, looky here: as per reported in la Gazzetta dello Sport Froome's time was the third best up Ax 3 Domains. Froome climbed it in 23'12" and has been bettered only by Laiseka (22'55": stage winner) and Armstrong (22'57"), though the climb of Ax 3 Domains was only en route to the finish atop Luz Ardiden. Whereas as the final climb in 2005 (Totsching first), it was Armstrong who had the best time at 23'40", while in 2010 Riblon was the victor, but the best time was established by Schleck and Contador (24'). Thus Froome's performance was better than Armstrong's, Schleck's and Contador's.
The sport is indeed cleaner...