Briton reiterates he might not need to move from Sky to win French race

He’s played a supporting role in this year’s Tour de France but after finishing second in the race and also second in the 2011 Vuelta a España, Chris Froome has confirmed that he will return to the latter race this year aiming for success.



“I am going to go on from here to the Olympics and then the Vuelta a España, if all goes well, and see how the legs are there,” he told reporters after today’s race finish. “I will try to do something there.”



Froome was unquestionably one of the strongest riders last year and indeed might have won had he not held back on several occasions in support of the designated team leader Bradley Wiggins. Spanish rider Juan Jose Cobo swooped on the stage to L’Angliru, scooping the red jersey, and the Sky duo were unable to get back on terms before the end of the race.



Froome finished just thirteen seconds back in Madrid, and wants to return this year and take the final victory.



However he will face stiff competition from Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank Tinkoff Bank), who will be back from his suspension, and also possibly from the 2010 Tour de France winner Andy Schleck (RadioShack Nissan), although the latter is getting over injury.



Having also ridden in support of Wiggins in this year’s Tour, Froome will welcome the chance to have a team built around him alone in the Vuelta. He had a difficult start to the season due a reoccurrence of the Bilharzia parasite he suffered with last year, but proved to be probably the best climber in this year’s Tour. In an extremely mountainous Vuelta with ten summit finish, that attribute will be hugely important.



“I surprised myself,” he said of the Tour. “I knew I had very good condition coming into this race but you never know where your opposition is at and I was never confident that I would be right at the top of the sport. I'm really happy to be in this position and I hope to keep competing like this in the future.”



He’s psyched by his own performance but also that of the Sky Procycling squad itself; it’s been motivating to be part of the first British team to win the race, and being one of the first same-country duo to take the top two slots since Laurent Fignon and Bernard Hinault in 1984.



“I'm blown away by what we as a team have achieved these last three weeks as a team,” the 27 year old Kenyan-born rider admitted. “It's monumental. Also, for a team that's relatively new to cycling – this is only the third year for Team Sky now – so for us to have two riders standing on the top two steps of the podium on the Champs-Elysées is really something special. Hopefully it's set the precedent for us going forward in the future.”



Some have said that he may have to move teams to be able to have his own shot at the race. Wiggins will be determined to try to defend his title next year, and will work hard to be in the same – or better – condition for that.



However Froome plays down the suggestions that he needs to move to another squad. From the sounds of things, he’s prepared to be patient. “I might not need to change my team to be a winner of the Tour de France. I'd love to win it one day and let's see...” he said. “I've learned so much this year being right there at the front of the race but not having the pressure of being the leader. I'm going to take that experience away and hopefully learn for the future.”



Rather than being frustrated by second, he said that he’s elated with the result. “I never saw this day coming, so I couldn't be happier.”