“It’s definitely a readjustment for me – moving the goalposts from the Tour de France to the Vuelta a España – but I think, given where I’ve come from through the last year, I’ve had an incredible recovery from the big crash I had last year, and I’m in a very fortunate position to be back racing now already,” Froome said.
“But I’m not confident that I can really fulfil the necessary job that would be needed from me at this year’s Tour de France, and I think it’s a lot more realistic targeting the Vuelta a España, and it gives me a chance to really get stuck in to something that’s deliverable, really.”
“I think, at the end of the day, people have to remember I’m coming back from a horrendous crash last year where I fractured a lot of bones in my body. The recovery is complete – I don’t have any pain, I don’t have any lingering issues – but certainly that was a big knock to me, and I think I’m still coming back to that full level of fitness at the moment.”
“There are some pretty crucial steps in terms of my progression to be able to win a race again, and hopefully that will come together for the Vuelta a Espana,” Froome said. “It’s great for me to now have that clarity – to know that that will be my big goal for the season, and I really do just wish the team all the very best of luck for the month ahead. The racing’s going to be brutal, but I have every faith in Egan and the team around him that they can deliver the result.”
