A cyclist’s partner is the unsung hero of the peloton. A jack of all trades. From personal chef to providing support on those bad days, to bike storage engineer.
Team Turbine catches up with Michelle Froome (wife of Tour De France winner and all round great guy Chris Froome), on life as a pro cyclist’s wife.
Turbine: Firstly, congrats on the news! Has Chris started measuring the new little bundle’s kick cadence already?
MF: Thank you! I haven’t felt any kicks yet, but I’m sure that when I do I’m going to be in for a rough couple of months if he has legs & elbows like Chris!
Turbine: What’s it like cooking for a Tour De France winner?
MF: The biggest challenge is trying to make the meals tasty, without adding salt or fat. I believe that keeping it simple is best. You can’t go wrong with good quality ingredients (I always try to source organic meat & vegetables) and plenty of herbs & spices.
Turbine: What’s an average menu at the Froome household?
MF: Chris loves a good curry, I usually make it thai style with turkey or chicken breast, julienned veggies, plenty of chilli and coconut milk. For post-ride meals he will add some brown basmati rice, if it’s the last meal of the day and it’s the part of the season where he’s trying to lose weight then he would skip on the rice.
Turbine: Who usually fights for the last piece of turkey (or potato) at Christmas?
MF: We usually eat turkey all year so we could both take it or leave it, but if you’re talking about dessert, Chris would fight me to the death for that.
Turbine: Where does Chris’s yellow jersey live?
MF: We haven’t had an opportunity to frame it yet so at the moment it’s packed away, but we do have the Tour de France trophy & the Mont Ventoux LCL lion on display in our lounge.
Turbine: Where does the bike gear live in the Froome household?
MF: The garage, the balcony, it seems to pop up everywhere throughout the house, I’ve learnt to live with it!
Turbine: When it comes to peak racing times, what do you do to lighten the stress?
MF: Putting the feet up and watching a good movie with some healthy snacks is always a winner… spending the day walking around the shops is not an option 🙂
Turbine: How would you explain Chris in 10 words or less?
MF: Powerful, determined and focused with a heart of gold.
Team Froome (image courtesy of DailyMail UK)
