• Tour de France

Froome targets Tour-Worlds double

Chris Froome became Britain's second Tour de France champion on Sunday © Getty Images

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Tour de France champion Chris Froome paid tribute to his late mother Jane as his thoughts turn to a potential Tour-World Championships double and five more years chasing the Yellow Jersey.

Froome, who said he would "give anything just to see her smile with me coming into Paris" after yesterday's final stage, finished four minutes clear of his rivals as he followed Sir Bradley Wiggins into the record books as Britain's second winner of Le Tour.

And the Kenyan-born 28-year-old has already switched his focus to the road race at this year's World Championships in Florence, aiming to complete a double last acheved by Greg LeMond in 1989.

"It's an event that doesn't often favour climbers the way it does this year," Froome told BBC Sport. "It's a great opportunity to go for it.

"I want to try to stay on it, to see the season through and not just switch off after the Tour.

"My focus has just been on the Tour up until now but being world champ, that's probably the second biggest thing after wearing the yellow jersey."

Froome was born in Nairobi, as was his mother, but he qualifies to ride for Great Britain through his father and maternal grandparents, all of whom are British.

Jane Froome died in 2008, just days before her son made his Tour debut, having helped him to ride first for Kenya and later switch to represent Great Britain.

"My mother was always a free spirit, she inspired me and encouraged me to follow my dreams," Froome told Sky Sports News. "At the time I was studying an economics degree.

"Unfortunately she passed away before I rode the Tour de France but I still feel she's a part of it when I race."

Asked how it felt to wake up as the winner of the 100th Tour de France, Froome admitted: "It hasn't sunk in really. It's been a real hard journey to get here. It's taken years to get into this position but it's so worth it."

And the Team Sky leader was quick to thank the team-mates that helped him reach the ceremonial final stage wearing the Yellow Jersey.

"Crossing the line arm in arm," Froome reflected on his tribute to the team as they rode down the Champs Elysees. "There's no way I wouldn't have crossed that line without my team-mates."

He also added that he expects to race the Tour de France for the next five years.

"I'd at least like to line up and contend the best I can for the next four to five years," he told BBC Sport.

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