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| Chris Froome |
Like buses, you wait over 100 years for a British winner of the Tour de France and then two come along in quick succession. However, I can't help but think that Chris Froome may forever have the Buzz Aldrin "second man on the moon" feeling about his own 2013 Yellow Jersey glory.
After Neil Armstrong took his first tentative step onto the lunar surface and spoke the immortal words "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," what
was Buzz Aldrin going to do for an encore? After Sir Bradley Wiggins' triumph in 2012, becoming the first Briton to win the Tour de France General Classification and the coveted
Maillot Jaune, any subsequent British success was always going to be met with "Wiggo did it first!"
But, 2012 could have been very different for the French cycle race, the premier cycle race in the world. At times, Chris Froome was patently stronger than Wiggins up the mountains. On Stage 11, Froome was called back from attacking the leaders of the day's race by the Sky management to help Wiggins climb La Toussuire
(TDF Stage 11 La Toussuire). On Stage 17, Froome was held on a tight rein by Sky to help Wiggins finish at Peyragudes
(TDF Stage 17 Peyragudes), but could easily have won the stage. Froome showed loyalty to his Team Leader by sacrificing his own chances of glory to protect the Yellow Jersey and, ultimately, bring about the first British General Classification win in the race's history.
This year, unfettered by the absence of Wiggins due to illness and injury, Froome was allowed to show the world what he could do as Sky's Team Leader in the 100th Tour de France. Once in the
Maillot Jaune, Froome never let it go and was helped by his own lieutenant in the form of Richie Porte who carried out the same sterling job of supporting his Team Leader up the mountains as Froome did for Wiggins a year earlier. Crossing the line arm in arm on the
Champs-Élysées, the Sky Team were united, basking in Froome's glory and a third Sky triumph in 2014 cannot be ruled out.
However, what most cycling fans want to see is a Wiggins/Froome head to head, winner takes all Tour de France. The 2012 course was more suited to Wiggins' time trialling, whereas the 2013 one suited Froome's climbing skills. A more neutral course, designed to enhance both riders' specialities would be a contest most people in the cycling fraternity would love to see. Not since Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett's rivalry on the athletics tracks of the world in the 1980's, or Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank meeting in the boxing ring in the late 1980's/early 1990's, has British sport had two athletes at the pinnacle of their sport at the same time. Unfortunately, this may never happen, as long as both Wiggins and Froome are members of the same team. It may mean that one or other of them has to leave the Sky Pro Cycling setup and have another team build around them in order for this battle to commence, and for the spectacle to played out in the land of the Gauls next summer.
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