There are doubts in the Team Ineos camp about whether Chris Froome can win this year's Tour de France. Technical director Carsten Jeppesen said "a lot has happened" since he last won the Tour.

Froom is aiming to become a five-time champion alongside Eddy Merckx, Bernard Inaud, Jacques Anquetil, and Miguel Indurain, but Jeppesen cited his 35-year age and last year's big crash as complicating factors.

Following his Giro d'Italia victory, Froome, who finished second to Geraint Thomas in the 2018 Tour, suffered a career-threatening injury last June and was forced to watch from home as 22-year-old Egan Bernal took the yellow jersey.

Claiming to be fully fit, Froome will line up with Bernal and Thomas at this year's Tour, but plans to leave the team at the end of the season to join Israel's Startup Nation.

"There is no doubt that he has put in a lot of hard work. As always, Chris was a great player and incredibly dedicated. I don't think anyone has trained as hard as he has during this coronavirus crisis," Jeppesen told Danish broadcaster TV2 (opens in new tab).

"But I am not 100% sure that he will have the necessary preparation to win. A lot has happened since Froom won last time. We won the Tour with Geraint and Egan, and Froome is getting older and had a very, very serious crash last year."

Jeppesen has worked with the team since its inception in 2010 and now has the official title of Head of Technical Operations and Commercials and is responsible for managing the equipment used by the riders along with sponsor relations.

Jeppesen's comments will reignite the debate about the internal hierarchy of Team Ineos, but questions still remain about whether the team will allow Froome to join the Tour. Despite his impending move, Jeppesen does not see Froome giving less than 100% for the team and believes that having three leaders will not cause problems.

"I've known Chris for years and worked with him.

"It may sound a little wordy, being that it's an away decision, but that's generally the way it goes. Everyone respects each other, so I don't think it's a problem."

Froome will return with Bernal for the Route d'Occitanie on August 1, while Thomas will take part in the Tour de l'Ain and the Criterium du Dauphiné.