Chris Froome saga - Don't Cry for me Britain

Tyler, suffering from the climb or Vaughters' singing?

Jonathan Vaughters was belting out at the top of his lungs "Don't cry for me Argentina" while I was on the nose of my saddle buried deep into a cave of pain trying to hold onto the main pack in the middle of the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic in Massachusetts, 1997.

Vaughters had serious cycling talent as he displayed it was no problem to sing and hold a wheel at the top of a nasty climb while I couldn't even suck down enough air to squelch the burning in my lungs and legs.

Vaughters is now the head of Garmin-Sharp and still displaying his talent by winning the Giro di' Italia this year with Ryder Hesjedal.  Last year Vaughters did his best to acquire the new cycling revelation Chris Froome during the Vuelta (Tour of Spain) as Chris was securing his eventual 2nd place overall - virtually coming out of nowhere.

Froome decided against the smaller budget Garmin team, and the chance to be the outright grand tour leader, and instead opted for the bright lights and budget of the big bad British cycling team, Team Sky.  Froome banked big time on his grand tour success in the Vuelta and as Vaughters mentioned on twitter July 12th -

This years Tour is already shaping up to see Froome and Braddley Wiggins as head and shoulders above the rest of those hoping for the top podium spot in Paris.  Stage 9's 41.5 km Time Trial at first appeared to be the same ole' thing with perenial TT specialist and former multi World Champion, Fabain Cancellara setting the fastest time and still holding that after a narrow miss from BMC's young Tejay Van Garderen.  However, Chris Froome topped Fabian by a solid 22 seconds and then Wiggins slotted a time almost a minute (57 secs) faster than Cancellara and 35 secs to Froome by the finish.



But stage 11's mountain passes put Froome and Wiggins in the cross hairs as Froome drove the pace and then after Wiggins started taking the lead around 3 km to the finish, Froome came back to life and attacked dropping his leader, Wiggins.  While Froome sat up and waited for Wiggins, the media battle and rumors exploded starting with a perceived cat fight between Wiggins' wife and Froome's girlfriend on twitter.  You have to think some calls were made that night to the significant others with the tone of "yeah, don't embarrass me on twitter please... thanks."

Froome doing what he was hired to do, lead Wiggo up the climbs.

Back seat driving, arm-chair quaterbacking and speculation abounds about whether or not Froome could win the Tour and if Froome should be the one Sky is riding for - or rather if he should be given some leeway to fly.

Flashback to last years Vuelta where Froome was dedicating his ride to protecting Wiggins until it became apparent that Froome was the stronger rider and Sky changed tactics putting Froome as the protected leader.  But it was too late for the overall win at that point.  Froome had sacrificed his chances at victory earlier in the Vuelta when he waited for Wiggins on a climb where he could have gone with the eventual winner, Juan Jose Cobo and kept within striking distance.  However, this Tour so far, Wiggins is putting down the better TT time and appears to be dropping all rivals on the climbs thus far.  All that Froome would be accomplishing right now is to overtake his own teammate rather than keep up with a rival like he needed to at the 2011 Vuelta.

With that said, Froome is hired by Sky to do a job.  His job for the Tour?  Ride for Braddley Wiggins.  Froome had to know even after last years Vuelta, that Wiggins was still the man for the Tour de France and signing with the British squad for 2012 even after a stellar Vuelta, wasn't going to change that fact. Froome could have signed for less with Garmin-Sharp or another similar team and been given the reigns to fly this Tour de France.  Sure, Froome would be making less money, but he would also have the unequivocal leadership role and support as best as any team could give him.  Froome made a career and business decision last year that can't be overlooked right now just because he appears at least 2nd best to Wiggins and the press and fans perhaps want more excitement instead of a rehash of the similar boring wins in the mid 90's by Miguel Indurain.  Maybe the debate is only raging with the fans and the media and all is dandy within the confines of the team bus.

Either way, Froome isn't getting the short end of the stick and he should be taking up Vaughters cover of Madonna as Eva Peron and sing out "Don't cry for me Britain."