Israel Premier Tech has said there was much more to Chris Froome's contract with the team that simply securing results as having such a big name rider on its roster was helping the team to advance.
Froome said recently he had suffered a knee injury while training, after possibly pushing himself to hard as he prepares for the upcoming season. He added the injury had forced him to back away from his training and would may delay the start of his season.
The set-back comes after two years in which Froome has tried to come back to his former level - at which he won the Tour de France four times - but to date having fallen someway short of that.
Froome now faces the prospect of not racing until March, or even later, due to the impact of the recent knee injury and his DS Rik Verbrugghe said he was simply not in a position to state when the British rider would be ready for battle or if he could reach the heights again.
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"It makes no sense to make plans about his racing programme now. First he has to be 100 per cent fit. I hope he can start racing from mid-March," Israel Premier Tech DS Verbrugghe told Het Nieuwsblad.
“In any case Chris is extremely motivated and just one of the guys during the training camp. In February he'll go on a camp with the boys from the development team to work on his form. We know what needs to be done to get him up to standard. And we are going to do everything we can.
"Whether Chris is still able to achieve the achievements of yesteryear, I don't dare answer that anymore," Verbrugghe added when asked if Froome justified his large annual salary.
"There is more to such a contract than just the sporting aspect. Chris is a big name. His presence opens doors that would otherwise remain closed. Cycling is also about reputation and prestige. Chris plays a major role in this and is an example for young riders within our team."
