Chris Froome facts for kids

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Chris Froome
OBE

Froome in 2022

Personal information

Full name

Christopher Clive Froome

Nickname

Froomey Froomedog

Born

20 May 1985 (age 40)
Nairobi, Kenya

Height

1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)

Weight

68 kg (150 lb; 10 st 10 lb)

Team information

Current team

Israel–Premier Tech

Discipline

Road

Role

Rider

Rider type

Climbing specialist
Time trialist

Major wins

Grand Tours

Tour de France

General classification
(2013, 2015, 2016, 2017)

Mountains classification (2015)

7 individual stages (2012, 2013, 2015, 2016)

Giro d'Italia

General classification (2018)

Mountains classification (2018)

2 individual stages (2018)

Vuelta a España

General classification (2011, 2017)

Points classification (2017)

Combination classification (2011, 2017)

5 individual stages (2011, 2016, 2017)

1 TTT stage (2016)

Stage races

Critérium du Dauphiné (2013, 2015, 2016)

Tour de Romandie (2013, 2014)

Critérium International (2013)

Tour of Oman (2013, 2014)

Vuelta a Andalucía (2015)

Other

Vélo d'Or (2013, 2015, 2017)

Christopher "Chris" Clive Froome (born 20 May 1985) is a famous British professional road racing cyclist. He is known for winning seven Grand Tours, which are the three biggest and hardest races in cycling. He won the Tour de France four times (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017), the Giro d'Italia once (2018), and the Vuelta a España twice (2011, 2017).

Froome has also won two bronze medals at the Olympic Games in the time trial event, in both 2012 and 2016. He is considered one of the most successful cyclists of his generation.

Although he was born in Kenya to British parents and grew up in Kenya and South Africa, he has raced under a British license for most of his career. In 2010, he joined the team Team Sky (later called Ineos Grenadiers) and became one of its most important riders.

Early Life and First Races
Professional Career
Personal Life
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and First Races

Chris Froome was born on 20 May 1985, in Nairobi, Kenya. His parents were British, and he grew up with his two older brothers. When he was 13, his mother took him to his first bike race, which he won. It was there he met David Kinjah, a professional cyclist who became his mentor and training partner.

Froome later moved to South Africa for school, where he continued to cycle. He studied economics at the University of Johannesburg for two years before deciding to become a professional cyclist at the age of 22.

Froome first competed for Kenya in international events like the 2006 Commonwealth Games. His talent was noticed by Dave Brailsford, who would later run Team Sky. In 2008, Froome started racing with a British license.

Professional Career

Early Professional Years

Froome at the 2007 Tour of Britain, during his first season as a professional

Froome turned professional in 2007 with the team Konica Minolta. In 2008, he joined the team Barloworld and rode in his first Grand Tour, the 2008 Tour de France. He finished 84th, which was a great achievement for a young rider.

In 2010, he joined the new British team, Team Sky. During his first season, he finished second in the British national time trial championships.

Breakthrough and First Grand Tour Win

Froome (left) and Juan José Cobo during the 2011 Vuelta a España. Froome was later named the winner.

Froome's big breakthrough came at the 2011 Vuelta a España. He was supposed to be a helper, or domestique, for his team leader, Bradley Wiggins. However, Froome was so strong that he finished second overall.

Years later, in 2019, the original winner was disqualified. This meant Froome was declared the winner of the 2011 Vuelta. This retroactively made him the first British cyclist to ever win a Grand Tour. After this amazing performance, Team Sky knew they had a future star.

Winning the Tour de France

Froome riding in support of Bradley Wiggins at the 2012 Tour de France.

In the 2012 Tour de France, Froome was again a helper for Bradley Wiggins. He was incredibly strong in the mountains, even winning a stage. He finished second overall, right behind Wiggins. It was the first time two British riders stood on the Tour de France podium.

The next year, Froome was the leader of Team Sky. He dominated the 2013 Tour de France, winning three stages, including a famous victory on the mountain Mont Ventoux. He won the race by over four minutes, claiming his first yellow jersey.

Froome went on to win the Tour de France three more times.

In 2015, he won both the overall race and the King of the Mountains jersey for being the best climber.
In 2016, he won his third Tour. During one stage on Mont Ventoux, he had a crash and had to run up the mountain without his bike for a short time.
In 2017, he won his fourth Tour de France, cementing his place as a cycling legend.

The Tour-Vuelta Double and Giro Victory

Froome on the podium after winning the 2017 Vuelta a España.

Just a few weeks after winning the 2017 Tour de France, Froome also won the 2017 Vuelta a España. Winning both races in the same year is called the "Tour-Vuelta double," a rare and difficult achievement.

In 2018, Froome decided to race the 2018 Giro d'Italia. After a tough start, he made a legendary comeback on Stage 19. He launched a solo attack from 80 kilometers away from the finish line, a very brave move. He won the stage and took the overall lead, which he held to the end.

By winning the Giro, Froome became one of only seven riders in history to have won all three Grand Tours. He also held all three titles at the same time, something not done since 1983.

Issue with Asthma Medication

In 2017, a test showed a high level of his asthma medication, salbutamol, in a sample from the Vuelta a España. Froome explained that his asthma had gotten worse during the race, and he had followed his doctor's advice. After a long investigation, the UCI (cycling's governing body) announced in July 2018 that he had provided enough evidence to show he had not broken any rules. The case was closed, and he was cleared of any wrongdoing.

Serious Crash and Recovery

In June 2019, Froome had a terrible crash while practicing for a race. He was riding at high speed when he hit a wall, breaking his leg, elbow, and ribs. The injuries were so bad that he could not compete in the 2019 Tour de France.

Many people wondered if he would ever race again. But after surgery and months of difficult recovery, Froome got back on his bike. He returned to racing in 2020.

Later Career

In 2021, after 11 years with Team Sky (then called Ineos), Froome moved to a new team, Israel Start-Up Nation (now Israel–Premier Tech). He has continued to race, working hard to get back to his top form.

His best result since the accident was a 3rd-place finish on the famous Alpe d'Huez stage of the 2022 Tour de France. He has also helped his teammates win races. In 2025, he had a crash in the UAE Tour, breaking his collarbone.

Personal Life

Froome married his wife, Michelle Cound, in 2014. They have a son, Kellan, born in 2015, and a daughter, Katie, born in 2018. Froome dedicated his 2013 Tour de France win to his mother, who passed away from cancer in 2008.

For his services to cycling, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2016.

Images for kids

Froome at the 2008 Tour de France.
Froome in the leader's jersey at the 2013 Tour de Romandie.
Froome beats Nairo Quintana to win stage 15 of the 2013 Tour de France.
Froome wearing the leader's jersey on stage six of the 2014 Critérium du Dauphiné.
Froome wearing the yellow jersey during the 2015 Tour de France.
Froome on stage 18 of the 2016 Tour de France.
Froome at the 2017 Tour de France.
Froome on the Colle delle Finestre during his famous solo attack at the 2018 Giro d'Italia.
Froome during the time trial at the 2012 Olympics, where he won a bronze medal.