World News – AU – La Vuelta 2020 – Chris Froome – «  It is unrealistic for me to expect to challenge  »

Chris Froome says that the next few weeks at La Vuelta will be above all a question of form and kilometers in his legs at the highest level

The Ineos Grenadiers rider is on his comeback trail after his serious crash in 2019 and looked far from his best in the first stage as he lost over 11 minutes overall

However, despite his disappointing start, Froome is hoping to be more useful to his team than he was on Tuesday.Either way, he says it’s unrealistic to expect him to compete at the highest level given the context of the last 18 months

« Overall yesterday I felt pretty good, definitely better than in the races earlier this season, » said Froome

« I got caught a bit out of position on entering that penultimate climb and got stuck behind Michael Woods’ crush at the bottom of the climb so I started running in. somehow on the back foot I just couldn’t get over myself I got closer, but I think it’s pretty clear that even if I did come back at that point, I wouldn’t be able to do much in the final So I did. am just sitting there

« I’m generally pretty happy with the way the legs feel and I’m fully aware that this is a process I’m going to have to go through in the next few weeks to try and get back to that next level. « Froome told reporters before the second stage

« Getting this race right will be really important for me, for next year too

« It is unrealistic for me to think that I will return to the Grand Tour race after two years of absence and obviously this injury that I had and come straight back to the top level I hope I can get as much intensity as possible in the legs over the next few weeks « 

La Vuelta is set to be Froome’s last race for Ineos, with the 35-year-old due to join the Israeli Start-up Nation team for next season

Vuelta a España, Primož Roglič, Chris Froome, Team INEOS, Tour de France, Grand Tour, Team Jumbo – Visma