Froome the feisty

Chris Froome needs only the slightest invitation to attack and he seized the initiative on stage four, using the final ascent of Bousher Alamrat, a mere ramp by his standards, as a spring board. Cross winds ultimately derailed his attempt to break free from the peloton, but the nature and timing of his attack – a day before the queen stage – said much about Froome’s intention to defend his title. Recent experiences with Sky’s new mesh skin suit aside, the Froome-dog has clearly not come to Oman to work on his tan.

The Tour de France winner’s willingness to take matters into his own hands is nothing new, of course. While it’s a quality Bradley Wiggins has found difficult to admire, and one likely to have cost Sir Dave Brailsford the remainder of his hair had he not already opted for a smooth dome, Froome’s impulsiveness is one that cycling fans can’t help but admire. Somewhere between Wiggins’ metronomic, but tedious path to victory in the 2012 Tour and Froome’s erratic, but exhilarating triumph in  2013, lies a happy medium. The action on stage four of the 2014 Tour of Oman showed that victory in cycling’s biggest race has not changed the Kenyan-born Brit. He remains a racer.