Chris Froome is on the scale of Lionel Messi, says new team owner Sylvan Adams

The cycling newcomers announced the signing of Froome from Team Ineos this week, a shock move considering his new team's relatively low standing.

That changed since the arrival of Adams, an Israeli-Canadian billionaire businessman.

"Everybody pays attention to the winner - and what we have started will hopefully be amplified by Chris' presence," Adams said.

"And he's a very nice fella - I'd like to have a beer with him."

"Chris is a gentleman," Adams told the BBC. "Polite to a fault. Very softly spoken. But none of that should be mistaken for a lack of heart and a burning desire to win.

"He's on the scale of a Michael Jordan or a Lionel Messi. His desire to win is powerful and overwhelming. He is one of the greatest talents in the sport."

Froome will remain at Ineos for this season's Tour de France, having won the event in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017.

There has been speculation that in negotiations for a new contract between the team and Froome, not enough thanks was shown by the reovering rider following his serious crash at the Criterium de Dauphine last year.

Additionally, it was reported that Froome was disappointed with Egan Bernal's confidence in saying that he would not give up a winning position in the Tour to Froome.