Road Cycling UK

Christopher Froome is one of Britain’s preeminent road cyclists. His career accelerated on joining Team Sky in 2010, where Froome was described as a ‘rough diamond’ by the management. Froome’s competitive breakthrough came a year later when he placed second in the Vuelta a España, equalling the best result a Brit had ever achieved in the Grand Tour. In 2012 Froome gained much wider recognition, aiding teammate Bradley Wiggins in clinching the Tour de France while claiming the second spot for himself.

Froome was born in Nairobi to a British father and British-Kenyan mother in May 1985. His love of cycling grew out of mountain biking in Kenya as a child, but he soon progressed to the road after moving to South Africa for schooling.

Froome entered top-flight road cycling in 2008 as a rider for Team Barloworld, competing in the Paris-Roubaix, Fleche-Wallone, Amstel Gold and Liege-Bastogne-Liege. In that same year, and despite his mother having passed just a few weeks earlier, Froome embarked upon his first Tour de France, showing particular promise in the time trial and mountain stages that would later become his areas of expertise.

Froome’s time at Team Sky has seen him rise from lieutenant to super-domestique. Froome has had an impeccable 2013 season, having won the Tour of Oman, the Criterium International and the Tour of Romandie; he looks set to lead his team in the Tour de France for the first time and is a favourite to take the top step on the podium.