Chris Froome (Team Ineos) believes that while anti-doping measures in cycling have improved, he and his generation of athletes are still paying the price for the widespread shame and skepticism brought to the sport by the Lance Armstrong era.

Froome, a four-time Tour de France champion, was asked about the damage Armstrong has done to the sport in an Instagram interview conducted by former international cricketer Kevin Petersen. Froome also discussed several topics, including Tour de France leadership in Ineos, the speed of the race on the climbs, and how Froome is overcoming coronavirus containment, among others, with Petersen (who was clearly a relative newcomer to the sport He was obviously a relative newcomer to the sport).

In a relaxed atmosphere, Froome spoke to novice and experienced cycling fans alike about his experience at the 2008 Tour de France. He was a young professional who watched as well-known riders like Riccardo Ricco were banned from the race for doping. Froom's teammate, Barloworld's Moises Dueñas, was excluded from the race after stage 11 for testing positive for EPO.

"It's a good point to talk about because I don't think a lot of people on the outside see what's happening in this sport. I turned pro in 2008. But when I competed in the Tour de France at the age of 23, it was the biggest shock of my life," Froome told Petersen.

"I couldn't believe what was happening. There were athletes who had been removed from the race for cheating and doping. One of my teammates was sitting across the team bus from me, and they took him away in handcuffs. It really woke me up [since then, the authorities have introduced biological passports, which has had a huge impact. They are very strictly controlled now. You literally have to register where you are every day. I think cycling is in a great situation right now."

Petersen used Armstrong to illustrate how as a fan he had not loved the sport for several years. Armstrong was banned for life by USADA in 2012, and his seven Tour de France titles were erased from his record. Although Armstrong eventually confessed to doping, he was made the scapegoat for generations of widespread and systematic doping.

In response to Petersen's question, Froom chose not to name Armstrong, but to emphasize the era rather than the individual.

"We still have to justify ourselves. At least 15 years later we are still talking about it. It did a lot of damage. That era did a lot of damage to the sport, but I truly believe that the sport has turned the page. If things hadn't changed, I don't think we would have won the Tour de France four times. I think the sport is in great shape right now," he said. [Of course, it's hard to have to answer the same questions year in and year out to the naysayers and the skeptics who don't believe in any performance, but at the same time there are things we can do. We have nothing to hide."

Froom was also asked about the speed on climbs that riders can generate and whether athletes could beat the times set by doping if the sport were cleaner. This Ineos rider noted that despite the new technology and the times being beat, he felt that the effects were being felt in the peloton during recovery.

"It's clear what was happening about 15 years ago," he said.

"I think most of the field was using something to run faster. The sport is 100 times cleaner and yet we are climbing through faster than we were back then. The best way to explain it is that as a sport our technique, nutrition, and training methods have evolved. As athletes we are probably better than they were 15 years ago. Having said that, I don't think our ability to recover is what it was back then. Back then we could do it day in and day out with whatever it took to manipulate the blood. Now we can do one massive stage and you can see the pace change for the next two or three days. The whole group needs to run slower."

Froome is looking for a fifth Tour de France title to rival the likes of Eddy Merckx and other legends. The British rider has not competed in a Grand Tour since the 2018 Tour and is still recovering from a career-threatening crash at last year's Criterium du Dauphiné, but he is confident of challenging for the title again.

The question of Ineos' leadership, however, is considerably complicated by the fact that the last two Tour winners, Egan Bernal and Geraint Thomas, are both teammates. Frum, however, is confident that the team will make the right decision regarding the division of duties and roles.

"When you go into a Grand Tour, you want to be with the leader and you need backup. If the leader crashes or gets sick, there is someone who can take over. Whether it is Bernal, Thomas, or myself, because at the end of the day, what matters most is that one of us wins. If another team wins, we get nothing. The most important thing is the team, but that's a decision you make before the race, looking at the course and how the riders are doing."

Petersen asked what would happen in a scenario where Froome was asked to hold back despite being stronger than Bernal. The Ineos leader explained that team tactics and communication are key and that the team works as a group.

"That's where it gets complicated and can be a bit of a gray area, but the team has a pretty good idea of everyone's strengths. We have power meters on the bikes and we measure every pedal stroke. Before we go into the race, the team knows what everyone is capable of and who has the best chance of winning. Everyone gets along very well. On some teams, the leaders literally don't talk to each other, and in some cases that can be toxic. But we get along and we work well together."