Chris Froome to target 7 tour de france titles

[rich p]

I'm English. If I moved abroad and had a son, would it be unreasonable for him to consider himself English too? A lot of sportsmen have cosmopolitan backgrounds, and can choose to represent any one of a number of countries.

Froome has chosen Britain. Should we knock him for it?

I'm not saying you should. If you read my post I explain that it's a personal feeling I can't shake.

 

[thom]

What about Mo Farah? He's a national hero, yet was born in Somalia and lives in the US!

The difference is that Mo's won big in the past and he has hand gestures. Brad too obviously won big last year and he can be relied upon to match Farah's Mobot:

with a one fingered salute once in a while,

People will like Froome if/when he wins the tour - they'll adore him when he discovers a hand gesture to call his own. I think he should try this on the Champs Elysee :

 

[redcard]

He needs a hand gesture - The F-bomb

 

[ianrauk]

What about Mo Farah? He's a national hero, yet was born in Somalia and lives in the US!

Indeed, good point.
He has a right prwopa English accent though..

I don't know HP, Why are some accepted and some are not?

 

[tug benson]

Froome is as British as wiggins...


It will take a massive effort from froome to win the tour this year, maybe he should have won the tour first then started talking about his ambition for the next 5-7 years

 

[smutchin]

It's the same reasons as to why people (Brits) don't really warm to other sportsmen such as (off the top of my head) Rusedksi, Lennox Lewis and Owen Hargreaves.

Hmm. I get what you're saying and it sounds superficially plausible but then you get someone like Andy Murray, who will never be as popular as Tim Henman even if he does win Wimbledon.

I think the reasons are many and complex. It's not as simple as being down to nationality alone.

Froome vs Wiggins is a lot like Seb Coe vs Steve Ovett. Both were equally awesome to watch race, yet everyone had their favourite out of the pair, and the reasons may not be entirely rational.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Hmm. I get what you're saying and it sounds superficially plausible but then you get someone like Andy Murray, who will never be as popular as Tim Henman even if he does win Wimbledon.

I think the reasons are many and complex. It's not as simple as being down to nationality alone.

Froome vs Wiggins is a lot like Seb Coe vs Steve Ovett. Both were equally awesome to watch race, yet everyone had their favourite out of the pair, and the reasons may not be entirely rational.

Tim Henman is/was more popular than Andy Murray?

To quote John McEnroe "You cannot be serious!!"

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Froome is as British as wiggins...


It will take a massive effort from froome to win the tour this year, maybe he should have won the tour first then started talking about his ambition for the next 5-7 years

Froome's passport is as British as Wiggins' certainly. But Wiggins spent a good part of his childhood riding around the streets of north London and, with his retro Mod tastes, accent, etc, clearly displays the cultural ''imprints'' of Britishness, which make him seem familiar, recognisable. While he had no choice about moving to the UK, living and settling here was his choice before anyone had ever heard of Brad the cyclist. The same can't be said about Froome. Even when he's sick, he has to go and catch something exotic like bilharzia.

Perhaps that feeling some of us have that Froome is difficult to warm to is mostly down to a lack of common shared experiences. I can accept him as a formidable and very determined cyclist but not as ''one of us.''

 

[Winnershsaint]

John McEnroe was born in Weisbaden if my memory serves me correct.

 

[dragon72]

If he was born near the border of a country, should we shout "Chalk dust!!"?

 

[400bhp]

[QUOTE 2500185, member: 30090"]I can't see where it says about going for seven titles?

Going for another six to seven years is just someone who wants to remain at their for as longcas their body allows it.[/quote]


+1

It's also a message to [Sky/new team] to say I am the team leader.

 

[Hip Priest]

Tim Henman is/was more popular than Andy Murray?

To quote John McEnroe "You cannot be serious!!"

He was, in a way. English people always seemed to like Henman, whereas many English people just seem to moan about Murray. I'm drawn to him though. Often the so-called dour or 'boring' sporstsmen are the most interesting characters. See also: Kimi Raikkonen.

 

[thom]

He was, in a way. English people always seemed to like Henman, whereas many English people just seem to moan about Murray. I'm drawn to him though. Often the so-called dour or 'boring' sporstsmen are the most interesting characters. See also: Kimi Raikkonen.

According to Rouleur, after a long morning's training from home in Monaco, Chris Froome pops down to the harbour and goes diving for octopus to eat for lunch.
True fact !

 

[Hip Priest]

According to Rouleur, after a long morning's training from home in Monaco, Chris Froome pops down to the harbour and goes diving for octopus to eat for lunch.
True fact !

I bet that saves him a few squid.

 

[Winnershsaint]

but if that's on the US army base then he was born on American soil similar to an embassy ....so a US citizen, I'd imagine it's similar to British bases and children born on them..

Indeed he was a service child. As was I. Just prior to being born my dad who was in the FAA was posted to an airbase in the north-west of Northern Ireland and accompanied by my mum. I was born about as far away in the British Isles as it was to get from their southern England origins as it was possible to get. It is quite odd really having no real connection with your place of birth. If asked where I'm from I'll always claim to be from Hampshire. I might admit in an unguarded moment to Berkshire through residential qualification.