The Israeli Premier Tech team told the French newspaper L'Equipe that the leadership feud between Chris Froome and Michelle Woods meant that the previous 4 tour winners were not selected for last year's race, and that sponsor pressure had led to the 2024 Tour de France, despite the lack of recent results. - Refuted reports claiming that Froome could be seen in France.

L'Equipe cited an unnamed Rider agent."Michael Woods does not match Chris and the organizers. We are fighting for [Froome] because his name is related to his 4 victories in the Tour de France.

The newspaper also claimed that Woods secured Froome's exclusion from the 2023 Tour de France team. Froome was unhappy that he was not selected for last year's tour, but had promised to race at least until the end of 2025.

Team owner Sylvan Adams was critical of Froome last summer and said he was not worth the money. L'Equipe suggests that Froome initially paid a salary of 450 million euros. However, Cyclingnews understands that this is not true, and there is such a big salary associated with the arrival of sponsors who ultimately could not participate. 

Froome and Woods immediately dismissed the report, but L'Equipe did not edit their story. 

"This is news for me," Froome writes in an emoji laughing at x. "How are you, @rusty_woods (Michael Woods.

The Canadian replied: "Ha ha, here the same fellow.""

"It seems like a complete fabrication of views on things within the team, especially those related to me and Woodsy, saying there's some feud between us. We are good mates," Froome said before Stage 2 of the Critérium du Dauphiné.

"It will be difficult to create a team. I think it depends a lot on what the team's goals are. At this point, it's like stage hunting and how a competent rider can achieve it.

"We all had the opportunity here at the Criterium du Dauphine and the Tour de Switzerland to show how they can achieve their team's goals. I'm going to try to build my form and get the way and show myself while finding some racing strength.

Israel Premiatech said they were surprised by L'Equipe's story. Sports manager Rik Verbrugge told Cyclingnews that Froome's presence at this year's Tour de France will be determined by his performance and the team's sporting cohesion.

"That's big bullshit. I don't know where that information came from," Verbrugge told Cyclingnews in the Critérium du Dauphiné. 

"First of all, Chris Froome's non-selection last year was a performance decision and a team decision to have a strong team at the start of the Tour de France. Woodsy won the stage and that was the goal of the Tour de France. The team owners were very happy with the performance. 

"There is no tension between the 2 riders. Even in 2024, there is no pressure from the sponsors to take Chris Froome to the Tour de France. 

Froome's 2024 season was interrupted by a scaphoid fracture of his wrist at Tirreno Adriatico and returned to racing only at this week's Critérium du Dauphiné. Woods suffered a mild concussion when he crashed in Stage 5 of the Giro d'Italia. He plans to ride the Vuelta a España instead of the Tour de France in 2024. 

Verbruges did not rule out Froome's choice in the final 8-rider Israel Premiattech Tour de France team. But he faces competition from the likes of Derek Gee, Hugo Hore, Dylan Teens, Pascal Ackerman, George Bennett and Stevie Williams. 

"Chris broke his wrist at Tirreno Adriatico, which slowed his progress. Let's see how he's going until the Tour de France starts," Verbrugge told Cyclingnews. 

"The choice of tour is not only based on Chris Froome's performance, but also the team's sporting cohesion.

"Selection is made after the Tour de Switzerland if all information from the rider is obtained. The best team that can stand on the starting line will go to the Tour de France.”