Chris Froome earns our respect the hard way

His lack of popularity has come about largely because of who he isn’t – he is neither Sir Bradley Wiggins, nor is he Lance Armstrong

Team Sky's Chris Froome celebrates winning the 2015 Tour de France (PA)

Did you watch Chris Froome, become the first Briton in history to win the Tour de France for a second time? No? Chances are you didn’t. Despite the ubiquity of “Mamils” (middle-aged men in lycra) and the soaring popularity of cycling, the Tour de France sadly still appears to have limited television viewing appeal.

At first sight, this is bewildering. But a few weeks ago I wrote about how we are more comfortable in Briton with the concept of the plucky loser than we are with the ruthless winner. Froome’s victory can be seen as the flipside of the same coin.

His steely single-mindedness in the face of not only his competitors, but so-called Tour fans spitting and screaming insults at unnervingly close quarters, and even throwing urine at him, is fascinating to the point of being mesmerising.

But Froome’s lack of popularity has come about largely because of what – or more accurately, who – he isn’t. Starkly put, he is neither Sir Bradley Wiggins, nor is he Lance Armstrong, the most infamous cheat in sporting history.

The fact that he is not Wiggins with his cheeky chappy persona, mod style, iconic sideburns, lacerating quips and apparent insouciance means that the British public have less to warm to. And, of course, Wiggins was the first Brit to win the Tour in 2012.

But it is Armstrong who taints Froome’s achievements and reputation so damagingly. The Texan’s decade of denial over persistent doping allegations that turned out to be entirely true make it so much harder for any true cycling champion in his wake to be accepted as clean.

But, the fact is, there are not many who have Froome’s mettle, and not many who could physically and mentally endure even a tenth, or a hundredth, of what he has gone through in past month. Never mind Andy Murray, Lewis Hamilton or Mo Farah, to me he is the greatest of current British sporting heroes. We should celebrate and cherish him.