Chris Froome says the desire to prove his doubters wrong is the primary motivating factor in his quest to become the first man to win back-to-back Tour de France titles since Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven race wins last year.
Following Armstrong’s disgrace, and the decision to strip Alberto Contador of the 2010 title, Froome could next year become the first man to retain the Tour de France title since the great Spaniard Miguel Indurain won the last of his five straight titles in the event in 1995.
“The chance to show people we’re past that era is one of my biggest driving factors,” said Froome, 28.
“I want to win it again to show people we’re past that era – that they can start to believe in the results we’re getting again, because I know for a fact some people were dubious about the results I got last year and Bradley [Wiggins, the 2012 winner] the year before.
“I’d like to think if I can go back and do it again, it will bring some credibility back to the sport. 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 he has grown accustomed to the doubt and hopes he can change it.
“I think we’re through the toughest time of it now,” he 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.
“Fans have every right to question what we’re doing because the winners of the tour have been caught out for the last 10, 15, 20 years. It’s only right they ask questions about the winner, but I take it as a challenge to respond in the best possible way.”
Froome is relishing the pressure and expectation that comes with defending his Tour title and hopes to be in a position to challenge for many years to come, as well as targeting another Olympic medal in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
“The biggest goal and challenge for me is going to be to try to refocus myself on the Tour de France year after year,” Froome said.
“I 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.”
