Before stage 3 of the Ruta del Sol, Chris Froome (Team Sky) was again met by questions from journalists about starting his season while his anti-doping adverse analytical finding is still pending. This time, he rejected claims that he was relieved to be racing rather than facing intense media scrutiny about his case.
"It's great to be racing, not about tension or relief or anything like that," Froome said. "It's the start of my season."
When asked by one journalist if the "whole pantomime" of media interest about his urine turning up with twice the allowed level of salbutamol in his Vuelta a España sample "seemed a bit ridiculous," Froome answered: "It's definitely been hyped up in the media. Anyone can see that. It shows, it shows here at the race."
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However, he rejected the idea that he was racing to get away from the pressure. "I wouldn't say that. I'm here racing," he insisted.
After placing 7th on stage 2 to the Alto de las Allanadas, Froome recognises that repeating his 2015 victory in the Ruta del Sol will be "difficult". Instead, Froome said, Sky will do "everything we can" to keep teammate Wout Poels in the overall lead.
Froome is currently lying nearly 30 seconds down on Poels, in 7th place on GC. Apart from keeping Poels in the top spot overall, the Briton's focus seems to be almost fully on making a flat-out effort in the stage 5 final time trial.
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest News http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/chris-froome-claims-salbutamol-case-has-been-hyped-up-in-media
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