Tom Dumoulin (open in new tab) warned Chris Froome (open in new tab) of the risks of leaving Team Ineos (open in new tab) in his quest to become a Grand Tour team leader, suggesting that a mid-season move would take away valuable energy and focus He suggested that a mid-season move would take away valuable energy and focus.

Cyclingnews reported in mid-May that Froome was discussing a possible mid-season move in order to seek a fifth Tour de France win as sole team leader.

Froome has not yet decided to extend his contract with Team Ineos beyond 2020, and despite being badly injured in a crash at the Criterium du Dauphiné a year ago, he is determined to try for a fifth Tour win in the final year of his career. However, with last year's winner, Egan Bernal, having made it clear that he will not sacrifice his chances for his teammates, and Geraint Thomas being given a leadership role, Froome knows he may have to leave Team Ineos to secure leadership and a commensurate annual salary He is aware that he may have to leave Team Ineos in order to secure leadership and a commensurate salary.

While Froome does not seem concerned about a divorce from Team Ineos, Dumoulin has warned him not to give up the strength of the team and its Grand Tour prowess with a proven track record of Tour victories.

"It made me think about my own problems," Dumoulin said in an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws, lamenting Froome's situation and calling for him to move to Jumbo-Visma to join Team Sunweb Sunweb) in order to move to Jumbo-Visma, recalling his feelings when he negotiated an early exit from Team Sunweb.

"It wasn't fun. I don't know if I should believe the message, but if you want to move during the season, you need energy," Dumoulin warned.

According to Cycling News, two teams have approached Froome about a mid-season or end-of-season move, with the Israeli startup, which will make its Tour de France debut in September, seen as the most likely candidate.

If a mid-season move were to happen, it would require the consent of all parties and the UCI, but would give the British rider full leadership at the Tour.

Dumoulin suggested that he would prefer to share the leadership responsibilities.

"I have changed a lot since last year," Dumoulin said. It has been exactly one year since his last race, due to a crash and knee tendon injury suffered early in the Giro d'Italia.

"Now I am not alone anymore. We will race soon to see who is in the best position. If Steven Kruisweig is the best on the team, then Tom Dumoulin will run for Steven, and then Primosz Roglic will run for Steven. If Primosz is the best, the team runs for him. If I am the best, I run for myself. In other words, we have a very strong team."

Dumoulin suggested that the same situation could arise if Froome remained with Team Ineos, and admitted that Lord would reveal who would ultimately be the strongest rider and team leader.

"I can't speak for Froome. He has to start from his own strength. In the last 10 km of the climb, everyone runs for himself. No matter which team he runs for, we have to beat him too," Dumoulin said.