Chris Froome who is one win from equalling the record of five Tour titles, says a chance to make cycling history is why he is targeting this summer’s Tour de France rather than defending his Giro d’Italia title, after he lost out to Geraint Thomas a year ago.
“The fact that only four people in history have done that means it would be massive if I could achieve it.” he said.
In 2018 Froome became the first Briton to win the Giro and the third man to hold all three titles – having won the Tour and Vuelta in 2017 – following Hinault in 1982-83 and Merckx, who won four consecutive Grand Tours in 1972-73.

“But for now, the Tour is the big aim – I’m putting all my eggs in that basket, not spreading myself thin all across the calendar.”

Froome will be 34 by the time the 2019 Tour begins on 6 July in Brussels.

Only one man, Belgium’s Firmin Lambot, has ever won the Tour’s general classification after their 35th birthday, and that was back in 1922.

The Giro, which starts in Bologna on 11th May, 2019, is the first of the year’s three Grand Tour races, with the Tour following in July and Spain’s Vuelta a Espana starting in August.