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Second Tour win would bring credibility back to cycling, says Froome

published 7 December 2013

"It really is a minority of riders breaking the rules now"

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Tour de France winner Chris Froome shows of his maillot jaune at the head of the Saitama criterium in Japan. (Image credit: AFP Photo)

Chris Froome believes that a repeat Tour de France victory in 2014 will help to restore cycling’s credibility. The Briton acknowledged that the performances of his Sky team have been met with scepticism in some quarters but reiterated the point he made on the Champs-Élysées in July, namely that his results would stand the test of time.

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“I'd like to think if I can go back and do it again it will bring some credibility back to the sport,” Froome told the BBC. “I know for a fact some people were dubious about the results I got last [season] and Bradley [Wiggins] the year before.

"I know myself that my results aren't going to be stripped, but it will take time before people will see they are going to stand.”

Froome said that cycling is now in a “post-doping era” and that only a minority of riders are resorting to the use of banned substances. His comments came on the day after the veteran Danilo Di Luca was handed a life ban by the Italian Olympic Committee following his positive test for EPO earlier this year.

"I think we're through the toughest time of it now,” Froome said. “It is really a minority of riders breaking the rules now and getting caught, but we are still living in that post-doping era where we are having to deal with a lot of negativity.”

Froome also confirmed that the Tour de France will be his primary goal not just in 2014, but for many years to come. Speaking after his Tour victory in July, the 28-year-old suggested that he was more interested in winning multiple Tours than in expanding his palmares to include the Giro d’Italia or Vuelta a España.

"The biggest goal and challenge for me is going to be to try to re-focus myself on the Tour de France year after year," Froome said. "I'd like to think I'm going to carry on riding it for as long as I can find the motivation and as long as I'm physically up for it."