I absolutely acknowledge his Tour pedigree. But, and this is just my opinion, I can't call him a "champion". In Hinault's 4th year as a pro: won the tour (including 3 stages) and Vuelta (5 stages) double; 2nd at Paris Nice (March), 11th at Flanders (April) 3rd at Lombardia (October); French National champion. Following year his 5th as a pro, won SEVEN tour stages and the overall, won Lombardia, 2nd at liege, 7th San remo, etc, etc. That, to me, is what a champion does. Froome's 4th year as a pro: zero wins. 5th year, two wins. Fignon, won the tour in his 2nd year as a pro. In his 1st he was bronze medallist in French cyclo-cross. And without the team Froome has at his disposal. Please don't misunderstand me, Froome is an excellent cyclist. But he is so far away from the top table. No monuments, no classics, not Giro, no Vuelta, no world champs, no track medals, no hour record, one or two small stage victoroes but a million miles from Fignon, Hinault, Coppi. And a billion miles from Eddie (mind you, who isn't?).