Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

news

'I've never seen an athlete with the same mental strength as Chris Froome', says Israel Start-Up Nation Sports Director

In the fourth episode of Drink at your Desk Live, Rob Hatch talks about half wheeling Sean Kelly and Cherie Prdiham gives us the inside story on Chris Froome's goal for the Tour ...

Israel Start Up Nation's Sports Director, Cherie Pridham said she has never seen another athlete with the same mental strength as Chris Froome, in the fourth road.cc Drink at Your Desk Friday episode.

Pridham, the first female Sports Director of a World Tour team, also said however that the team did not expect Froome to be wearing the yellow jersey on the Champs-Élysées this year. 

She said:  "That was a horrific crash that Chris had and as a team we've seen the trials and tribulations that Chris has had to face. The injuries were so horrific, just for him to be on a bike is amazing.

"It has arguably taken a lot longer than everybody, if not Chris himself, anticipated.

"But this is a long term project if we win the tour as Israel Start Up Nation it might not happen in year two or year three it might happen in year six...

"So yeah, it's not everybody's first reaction that 'yeah Chris is going to win the Tour de France'".

She added: "His strength within is just something... I've never seen it in any other athlete.. Chris's ability to train is outstanding, he's just a machine.

"I genuinely believe that Chris will deliver, if not this year, he will deliver at some point."

> Geraint Thomas and Chris Froome call for government support for young riders in wake of Brexit

Pridham also spoke about the teams other prospects at the Tour and said she would be 'surprised' if they didn't at least win a stage or two. 

Pridham started bike racing in South Africa and rode her first Tour de l'Aude Cycliste Féminin when she was 19 years old.

Her pro cycling career spanned eight Tour de l'Aude Cycliste Féminins and two Giro  Rosa, until she was forced to retire due to injuries sustained in a hit and run accident in 2006.

She continued:  "We have other riders on the team, Mike Woods for instance, he's growing in confidence. He's such a genuine lovely guy. He will go and lead that Tour de France. 

"I believe we have put a great team together for stage victories and I would be surprised if we don't win a stage, if not two with the team that we've got."

We also spoke to GCN and Eurosport commentator Rob Hatch, who as well as giving us an insight into what it takes to narrate the world's biggest bike race, also confessed to, occasionally, half wheeling his illustrious colleagues. 

Looking at picture of himself out riding, he said: "[That's me] Half wheeling Sean Kelly there.

"I'm guilty of that far too much, again because I'm not a particularly good bike rider, and anybody who has ridden with me probably gets really annoyed.

"Poor old Sean, he's asked me how big my bike is quite a few times. I think he thinks it's half a wheel bigger than his.

"He must be sick of it by now."

Add new comment

4 comments

Avatar
OnTheRopes | 2 years ago
0 likes

Such a shame to see Chris limping in at the end, I hope he manages to continue with the race and it doesn't affect his performance.

Avatar
sizbut replied to OnTheRopes | 2 years ago
1 like

Whilst I also hope he isn't injured, just by starting, he, a rider who is clearly not fully recovered, has already displaced someone else from the team. Whatever the internal politics are, he should have done the decent thing and admitted he wasn't even worth the domestic slot. 

Avatar
Dave Dave replied to sizbut | 2 years ago
0 likes

Come off it. This is part of his recovery program. Getting him fit for the end of the season is one of ISN's highest priorities.

Avatar
sizbut replied to Dave Dave | 2 years ago
1 like

Utter rubbish. Your "recovery program" doesn't and shouldn't include displacing other fit riders from the team for the top event in the year's cycling calendar. His form isn't good enough to even warrant the occasional fetching of water bottles. They and he all knew he would just be a passenger before the start, so there has to be some other factors for his inclusion. 

Latest Comments