Chris Froome has not ruled out mounting a challenge for the Giro d’Italia next season after being awarded the 2017 Velo d’Or for his Tour de France-Vuelta a Espana double success.
Presented to the world’s best rider, Froome has now won the coveted Velo d’Or prize on three occasions, capping a remarkable 2017 in which he won Le Tour for a fourth time in five years.
And he made history in September by becoming the first Brit to win the Vuelta – and the first rider to win both events in the same year since 1978 – before going on to win world time trial bronze later that month.
The 32-year-old was presented with his award at the launch of the 2018 Tour de France route, which will be the shortest of the 21st century at just 3,329km.
The 105th edition of Le Tour will take place from July 7-29, starting from Noirmoutier-en-L'ile and ending, as custom dictates, on the Champs-Élysées in Paris.
Stage nine will include 21.7km of cobbled road with stage 12 seeing the return of the famous climb up Alpe d’Huez.
While stage three will be a team time trial and the race’s only individual time trial will take place on the penultimate stage before Le Tour descends on the French capital.
“It’s a great honour to have this trophy and I want to thank everybody who voted for me,” Froome said.
“It was a fantastic year, I will remember it all my life. It was a special season, and I have to thank a lot of people.
"Looking ahead then I wouldn't expect anything different from the [Tour de France] organisers.
"It is a massive challenge for next year and a Tour de France that tests every aspect of cycling."
While Froome has admitted his biggest target for next year is winning a fifth Tour title – which would see him equal the record held by Eddy Merckx, Miguel Indurain, Bernard Hinault, and Jacques Anquetil – he isn’t opposed to a tilt at the Giro.
But nothing is going to stop him from taking home the yellow jersey once again, with any additional targets simply subservient to his Tour ambitions.
“For next year, we’ll see what happens. We’ll have to see what the [Giro] route is like,” he said.
“Every year, the course changes, and the riders have to change their tactics and preparation. Every year is different.”
Sportsbeat 2017