'Always a tough battle!' - Alberto Contador and Chris Froome compete once more on BKOOL

Between them they have 14 wins in the three grand tours (Giro, Tour de France and Vuelta). They have 7 each, in perfect symmetry. Chris Froome, who is still racing at 37, and Alberto Contador, two years his senior and who has now retired, dominated the podiums for more than a decade and have nothing but immense respect for each other.

“Alberto was a real competitor”, said Chris Froome. “There was never a moment where I didn’t have to concentrate. I always had to expect the unexpected when racing against him”, the Brit said referring to the Spaniard’s panache. The four-time race winner (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017) also praised his rival’s mentality: “He was able to take charge of the race and not give up”, said Froome, admiringly.

On the Spanish side the admiration is mutual. “It was always a tough battle against Chris”, said Alberto Contador, who has a clear memory of the Brit’s power, as well as that of his team: “What impressed me the most were his final attacks, after Sky’s hard work”.

Even towards the end of their careers, Froome and Contador are still coming face to face, but this time virtually! With BKOOL, cycling simulators are entering the next level and recreating race conditions. The incline of the hills, the changing weather, the surface, everything is perfectly recreated to truly give you the impression that you’re on the bike!

Track cycling enthusiasts are not left out, thanks to the 3D velodrome simulator, and it is also possible to create personalised training sessions or access fitness classes, but it is on the road that Alberto Contador and Chris Froome can once again go head to head. Without leaving their houses, the Spaniard and the Brit can rediscover the sensation of their legendary climbs at Tourmalet, Mount Ventoux and Alpe d’Huez!

“BKOOL lets me train and enjoy any race, either by myself or with friends”, said Contador, smiling. “I mainly use it to discover places that I didn’t see during my career but also to remind myself of the good old times and redo races that I took part in… and to suffer less”, joked the Spaniard. He also commented on “how comprehensive the application is, offering you an infinite number of routes”.

With its optimal realism and HD video, BKOOL offers an ideal place to challenge any opponent: “Whenever they want”, challenged Contador. Like Froome and the Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl team, the seven-time grand tour winning Spaniard is a BKOOL ambassador and takes part in “Group Rides” on the app throughout the year. These exceptional events gather all the BKOOL users and cycling stars for group training! “I love the virtual Group Rides”, said Chris Froome. “We get to connect with fans and share our training experience”.

BKOOL is also a partner of the Giro d’Italia and organises the Virtual Giro d’Italia where participants can ride through the most legendary stages of the Italian race, from Zoncolan to Alpe Motta, with the next edition starting this autumn. A change of scenery, and programme, with the Tour de las Americas Northweek, allows all amateur cyclists to discover the fantastic routes of North and South America on video from the comfort of their own home last summer (the event was celebrated this summer from July to September). Finally, BKOOL’s Tour de las Americas includes the best amateur courses from Latin America.

Putting in effort and discovering places from your own home is an idea that is close to Chris Froome’s heart. “I love the realism of BKOOL. It transports me into the reality of the race thanks to its videos. It’s a fantastic tool for preparing for competitions from the comfort of my own home”, said the Brit.

Injured following a terrible fall during a scouting trip for a stage of the Dauphiné Libéré in 2019, Chris Froome has since struggled to get back to his former level. But he doesn’t hide the fact that his home trainer provides him with the tools he needs to get back in shape: “I do an hour every morning”, he said. “It’s very good for your metabolism and it was one of the main things that allowed me to race this year”. When virtual reality meets reality…

The Brit, along with his Spanish rival, will be honoured at the end of this year as BKOOL is organising new “Group Rides” that the two champions will participate in. It’s a chance for each registered user to see how they measure up to these legends! BKOOL is offering a 30-day free trial