Charles Darwin would have found Chris Froome a fruitful case study. Like the finches of the Galapagos, the Team Sky rider has come to embody the evolutionary theory of natural selection, where adaptation is the key to survival.
While the different species of finch in the different corners of the islands had precise adaptations to suit the specificities of their habitats, Froome has evolved according to the changing nature of the Tour de France to win four of the past five editions.
"I'm an all-rounder, and I try and adapt to whatever's thrown at me," Froome tells Cyclingnews in Japan as the off-season begins, explaining that each Tour has thrown up a different challenge, and that with Tom Dumoulin breaking through, he will have to adapt again.
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Each may have presented its own difficulties, but Froome's four wins can crudely be divided in two. In 2013 and 2015 he blew the opposition away on the first summit finish, while in 2016 and 2017 he made precious few advances in the mountains, his victories built instead on the time trials. But while the quantity of kilometres against the clock has decreased, Froome seems to have learned – thanks to marked technical improvements – how to make inroads and stifle his rivals in a much wider range of terrain and situations.
A 'chameleon', and a 'monster of pragmatism', was how he was described by L'Equipe at the end of this year's Tour.
"For me, there are certainly two factors to looking at the preparation for each edition of the Tour de France: the parcours and who I'm racing against," says Froome. "We look at the factors that are going to be the main drivers for gaining time, and in order to work that out you need to know also who the main rivals are going to be.
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Going head to head with Dumoulin
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