La Vuelta 2020: Chris Froome finished - Ineos swansong in tatters after 11 minutes lost on Stage One

ByTom Bennett

Updated 20/10/2020 at 18:12 GMT

Chris Froome lost over 11 minutes on the opening day of La Vuelta as any lingering hopes that he could contend for General Classification honours were dashed. Froome has struggled to regain full fitness and form after his crash in 2019, and will not compete for the Vuelta title in his last appearance for Ineos.

Any romantic hopes of Chris Froome ending his Ineos career with a Vuelta title were blown to smithereens on the opening day of the race, as the 35-year-old lost over 11 minutes to stage winner Primoz Roglic.

Froome’s struggles began with 18km remaining on a leg-sapping stage, with the seven-time Grand Tour winner dropping off the back of the bunch as his Ineos team-mates set a blistering pace at the front.

That lack of support from Ineos was as clear an indication as you could have asked for that it is Carapaz who is the team’s hope to challenge for the overall title, and Froome’s focus will now presumably shift to picking up fitness and potentially stage wins, ahead of his move to Israel Start-Up Nation in the off-season.

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Froome's Vuelta struggles come after Ineos made headlines for leaving the 35-year-old out of their roster for the start of the Tour de France in August, with team manager Sir Dave Brailsford citing a lack of form.

The four-time Tour de France winner made his comeback to racing in August after a year of rehabilitation from a life-threatening crash at the 2019 Criterium du Dauphine, where he suffered a fractured elbow and broken ribs, as well as serious leg-break and a number of other serious external injuries.

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Speaking earlier this week in an interview with Eurosport, fellow cycling professional Philippe Gilbert said it would be no surprise if Froome isn't ready to compete for the Vuelta title, addling that it is a "miracle" he is even back racing.

"I think people easily forget the crash he had 18 months or so ago now. I still believe it's a miracle he's already racing and doing what he's doing now," Gilbert said.

"But honestly, it’s going to be hard for him to challenge the best at a two or three week race.”

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