Chris Froome voices support for embattled Team Sky boss Dave Brailsford
"Without Dave B, there is no Team Sky," said three-time Tour de France champion
Chris Froome has broken his silence regarding his beleaguered Team Sky boss Dave Brailsford. Last week a report emerged that unnamed riders from the British UCI WorldTour outfit were considering demanding their team boss resign. In response, there was an outpour of support on social media for Brailsford from Sky riders. Froome, as the team’s highest profile rider and a three-time Tour de France champion, was noticeably silent on the matter.
On Monday, Froome added his voice to those backing Brailsford while also apologizing to fans who felt deceived by the recent revelations over the teams questionable anti-doping practices. Froome also said he was unhappy with the negative portrayal of the team in recent months. “It disappoints me hugely to see the way in which Team Sky has been portrayed by the media recently. It does not reflect the support crew and the riders that I see around me,” Froome said.
“At the same time, I completely understand why people feel let down by the way in which the situation has been handled, and going forward we need to do better,” Froome admitted.
Team Sky’s anti-doping practices have been in the news since Fancy Bears leaked the three Therapeutic Use Exemptions Tour de France winner and six-time Olympic gold medalist Bradley Wiggins had received before three Grand Tours. More recently the team has been under scrutiny for a mysterious medical package delivered to the 2011 Critérium du Dauphiné which prompted the UK Anti-Doping to open an investigation into the team’s alleged wrongdoing.
British members of parliament at the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee have been looking into doping in sport which has placed a negative spotlight on medical practices at Team Sky including those of former team doctor Richard Freeman.
“I would like to apologize for this on behalf of myself and the other riders of Team Sky who feel passionately about our sport and winning clean. I believe in the people around me, and what we are doing,” Froome added.
Brailsford’s role at Team Sky and with British Cycling with which he worked as performance director between 2003 and 2014 have put him under pressure to answer uncomfortable questions about medical practices in cycling but Froome said that his contributions outweigh the mishandling of the recent intense scrutiny.
“With respect to Dave Brailsford, he has created one of the best sports teams in the world. Without Dave B, there is no Team Sky,” he said. “He has supported me throughout the last seven years of my career and I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunities and the experiences I’ve had.
“By his own admission, mistakes have been made, but protocols have been put in place to ensure that those same mistakes will not be made again.”
