Froome will try the Giro-Tour double says RCS insider

A dutch magazine has revealed that Chris Froome has decided to try in 2018 the Giro-Tour double

Telesport cites a person from RCS Sports, the organizer of the Italian Grand Tour, as the source.

The Briton is not among those attending the Gala presentation of the route, this Wednesday in Milan, could announce his decision through a video conference.

The time between the end of the Giro d'Italia and the start of the Tour de France has been extended by one week, from five weeks instead of the four, and Froome could bet on another Grand Tour double.

Pressure on Froome to ride the Giro d;Italia has been mounting, with both Fabio Aru and Eddy Merckx calling for him to prove his status as a true cycling Champion.

Froome won both the Tour and Vuelta a Espana in 2017. Vvictory in the 2018 Giro would mean he was the reigning champion of all three Grand Tour simultaneously, which would be unprecedented in the modern era of cycling aftre major doping scandals.

The last rider to win the Giro-Tour double was Marco Pantani in 1998, and its a feat that has alluded more recent riders such as Alberto Contador and Nairo Quintana who both failed in theri attempts.

.Chris Froome has participated in the Giro d'Italia two time. First in 2009, wearing the jersey of the South African team Barloworld, he finished in 35th place.

Second in 2010, he was expelled from the race for being towed in a car going up the Mortirolo. It was his first season in Team Sky.

Riding the 2018 Giro would give him the opportunity to emulate Bernard Hinault (1982-83) and Eddy Merckx (1972-73) by holding all three Grand Tour titles at the same time.

Speculation that he would try a Giro-Tour double were played down by another RCS insider, who said the Telesport report was ‘not true.’

Giro d’Italia race director Mauro Vegni has steered clear from saying that Froome will ride. “We’ve spoken to all the teams and all the top riders, but at the moment we have no official confirmations from any of them.”

Froome has already stated that winning a fifth Tour de France is his priority in 2018, although rumours suggest that he was giving serious consideration to riding the Giro.

The full route of the 2018 Giro d'Italia is unveiled this Wednesday 29th November in Milan. The presentation of Giro d’Italia 2018 will be on 29th November starting from 5 p.m. CET.

The route of the 101st edition, starting on 4 May 2018 from Israel, will be unveiled in the presence of the last Giro d’Italia winner, Tom Dumoulin, the two times Giro winner Vincenzo Nibali, Fabio Aru (third in 2014 and second in 2015), and Alberto Contador (winner of the Corsa Rosa in 2008 and 2015), as well as representatives of the teams, sponsors, media and other institutions.