Chris Froome still determined to win the Vuelta a Espana
By Orla Chennaoui and Matt Westby
Last Updated: 02/10/15 4:57pm
Chris Froome has revealed he is still keen to win the Vuelta a Espana, but he will never prioritise it over the Tour de France.
The 30-year-old Team Sky rider has twice finished second at the season's third and final Grand Tour, in 2011 and 2014, and crashed out of this year's edition when well placed in the general classification.
In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports News HQ, Froome said: "For me personally, the Vuelta has always been a race that seems to slip away from me. I have come second twice now, crashed out this year. It's a race I potentially want to go back to in the future and try and do well there again."
Asked if he would make it the main target of a future season, he replied: "No. That certainly wouldn't be the case. The Tour at this point has to take priority. In the cycling world, you don't get any bigger than the Tour de France."
Froome would therefore have to attempt to win the Tour and Vuelta back-to-back in the same season, a feat that has only been achieved twice in history.
He was lying eighth overall, 1min 18sec off the lead, when he crashed out of this year's Vuelta and although he started the race slowly, he showed signs of coming back into form and was expected to have been challenging for overall victory in the final week.
Froome added: "I certainly don't think winning the Tour and the Vuelta is impossible in the same season, but it does take a lot of doing. It certainly wouldn't be an easy challenge to accomplish."
Froome intends to target the Olympic road race and time trial next season, so the earliest he could attempt the Tour-Vuelta double is 2017.
His probable absence from the 2016 Vuelta opens the door for Spanish climber Mikel Landa to lead Team Sky at his home race.
Landa is one of seven new signings made by the British squad for the 2016 season, along with Michal Kwiatkowski, Benat Intxausti, Danny van Poppel, Michal Golas, Gianni Moscon and Alex Peters.
Froome said: "It looks as if, if it was possible, the team is getting even stronger. We have lost a couple of guys, Richie Porte one of the most notable riders leaving, but we also have a lot of strong guys coming in.
"We have got Mikel Landa, Michal Kwiatkowski, Intxausti - just to name a few - so it's exciting times at the team. There is going to be a lot of new strength coming into the team and it's going to be quite important to spend time together as a group and start integrating the guys into the team."
