Listen to the full interview via the podcast.
David Walsh has spent much of 2013 embedded with the ultra successful Team Sky.
The Sunday Times journalist, who played a prominent role in bringing Lance Armstrong to task for his cheating, spent time with the team who helped Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome to Tour de France wins in 2012 and 2013.
But because of the recent history of cycling and the success of the team, Team Sky and Froome faced doping accusations.
Walsh on Off The Ball tonight to chat to Joe about his new book Inside Team Sky and he believes the accusations against Froome are unfounded.
"He's certainly evolved from being a talented but erratic rider to one who has become incredibly consistent in the Grand Tours. I think he always had the ability to do both time trial and climb. Where was the evidence for that?" said Walsh.
"The first race he rode in Europe at an elite amateur cycling in Italy, he won one mountain stage and should have one the other. We know that he was a climbing talent. But his career didn't really take off. He would do some performances and then not build on it. Then he did a really good ride at the Vuelta in 2011 and that changes everything for him."
Despite regular accusations of doping during the Tour - none of which has been proven - Walsh explained that Froome's rise was linked to his diagnosis and treatment for parisitic disease bilharzia - a disease that is common in Africa where the cyclist grew up. And Walsh confirmed to Off The Ball that he has never seen a single shred of evidence linking Froome to doping.
Yet Walsh had never intended to return to the world of cycling journalism after the long battle to out Lance Armstrong as a drug cheat.
"I was done with cycling. I didn't go and cover the Tour when Bradley Wiggins won - which was a big story for British newspapers. But then when Armstrong was outed in October 2012 as an absolute cheat, I felt ready to look at cycling again."
After interviewing Team Sky General manager Dave Brailsford, he was invited to spend time with the team where he could speak to whoever he wanted in order to appease Walsh's lingering doubts about doping in the cycling world.
Seeing how Team Sky operate close up, Walsh has noticed one thing aside from the atmosphere of excellence.
"I think if there's one big thing, it's the way Tim Kerrison trains them. I think his training is very different. All of the people that train under Kerrison say that training is much harder compare to other coaches. I think he has been revolutionary in the way he prepares them physically. The people that are with the team are generally high quality people," Walsh explained, adding: "I never saw a Sky guy go for drinks after finishing work. They just don't do it. But it happens at other teams."
