'Covid is no joke' – Chris Froome opens up on 'rough' first week at La Vuelta

Chris Froome (Israel-Premier Tech) admits his preparations for La Vuelta were derailed by «quite bad» Covid symptoms. After his third place on Alpe d’Huez at the Tour de France in July, optimism had soared for Froome after his long road back from a horror and career-threatening crash at the 2019 Dauphine. Ad But one week after his starring role on the iconic climb, Froome was forced out of the Tour with Covid.

Vuelta a EspañaLa Vuelta 2022: Six talking points from the Dutch ‘gran salida’ — Roglic soon in red?22/08/2022 AT 15:31 Although he returned for the final Grand Tour of the season, he has had a start to forget and failed to crack the top 100 in any individual stage. By comparison, Froome had eight top 50 finishes at the Tour – including his brilliant podium – before his withdrawal ahead of Stage 18. “It’s been tough,” Froome told Eurosport ahead of Stage 8 at La Vuelta.

“I think everything was on track towards the end of the Tour de France. I was hoping to build through the Tour, take a small recovery and then really come to the Vuelta in good shape. “But unfortunately having to leave the Tour de France with Covid really disrupted my preparations for the Vuelta.

“I was dealing with quite bad symptoms and it definitely affected my preparation coming into the Vuelta.” Earlier on Saturday, the four-time Tour champion had vented his Covid frustration on social media. «Rough first week. Covid is no joke,» he wrote.