Chris Froom goes for cycling double as Scott Thwaites reflects on Tour debut

Froome is one shy of the all-time record of five Tour wins – jointly held by Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain – after beating his closest rival Rigoberto Uran to the Paris finish line by 54 seconds on Sunday.

He is already targeting a second Grand Tour of the season, with the Vuelta a Espana starting in less than four weeks, and glory there would bring another piece of history, even if Froome is not especially interested in breaking records.

No rider has won the Tour-Vuelta double since since Hinault in 1978, when the Spanish race was still raced in the first half of the season.

Beyond that challenge lies the opportunity to draw level with the handful of cyclists who have claimed five Tour crowns, or even surpassing their achievements.

Froome said: “I’m 32 at the moment and riders have gone into their late 30s still winning the Tour de France. I came into the sport fairly late so I do feel quite young in cycling years.

“Cycling’s one of those sports in which experience is so valuable, so I’d like to think I’m still learning and improving as a bike rider.

“Certainly for the next three or four years I’d like to come back to the Tour de France and, whatever number it is, I just want to lay it all on the line for as long I can until my body can’t do it anymore or until I say ‘okay, that’s it now’.”

Sir Dave Brailsford insists Froome is “human after all”, with the Team Sky general manager keen to remind fans his leading rider has his weaknesses despite his dominant displays en route to the Champs-Elysees.

He said: “A three-week race is a long time to be fully concentrated and what tends to happen is that you have periods of intense focus, but then you have respite and can gather yourself for the key moments.

“This year he’s had to maintain that intense concentration and focus all the way through and I think that’s one of his greatest strengths.”

Yorkshire’s Scott Thwaites is also hungry for more after finishing his first Tour de France.

The Burley-in-Wharfedale rider was making his debut in the world’s biggest race for Team Dimension Data, fulfilling one of his earliest ambitions as a cyclist.

“I’ve really enjoyed it,” he said. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and now I’ve done it. It’s a big race ticked off the list.

“It’s been tough, which is what I expected with 200 of the best guys in the world here in their best shape, but it’s a great stepping stone in my career and, hopefully, I can be back next year.”

At the start of the Tour, Thwaites had said he was most looking forward to tackling the famous climbs in the Alps and Pyrenees, and the 27-year-old said the experience of riding up mountains such as the Galibier and Col d’Izoard did not disappoint.

Dimension Data’s plans were upended early in the Tour when star sprinter Mark Cavendish crashed out but Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen ensured they did not go home empty-handed by winning stage 19.

Thwaites plans to line up for the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic next weekend, and he hopes to take part in the Tour of Britain in September.