Froome to follow compatriot’s example for Olympic time trial

Chris Froome will look to Bradley Wiggins for inspiration when he lines up for the men’s time trial at the Olympics on Wednesday afternoon.

The current Tour De France champion, who is yet to claim an Olympic gold, was left disappointed in this year’s road race as he finished 12th, but has another chance for a maiden victory when the cyclists take to the road again.

The Kenyan-born rider need only look to his fellow Team GB rider as an example to follow though, as Wiggins remains the only winner in the time trial’s history to claim gold in the same year as his Tour De France success.

There have been eight editions of the time trial at the Olympics, with Wiggins becoming the first to do a Tour De France double in London four years ago.

Froome claimed bronze in front of the home crowd in that event, having first slugged it out in the road race.

His third-place finish displayed an ability for quick recovery in 2012 and the 31-year-old appeared confident of a similar revival this time around.

“I buried myself in London four years ago as well,” Froome said ahead of the event. “I was completely spent. And I was fine in the TT a few days later. It should be enough time to recover.”

Already these games have seen a vast improvement for Froome, who finished the road race in 109th place in London.

Having followed in Wiggins’ footsteps in by winning the Tour, things look well-set for the current Yellow Jersey holder to repeat the feat in the time trial too.

Ladbrokes is not an official sponsor of the Olympics and is no way affiliated with any of the competing athletes, events or competitions being held in Rio de Janeiro this summer