The 28-year-old, who won this year's Criterium du Dauphine on Sunday, told the Times newspaper that he wanted to be in a position to win the Tour de France for years to come.

"I've got my goals and personally where I want my career to go is to target the Tour, not just this year but for the next six or seven years, and each time to line up at the Tour ready to try and contend for the yellow jersey," he explained.

"I am driven by that goal, not from a fame point of view," added Froome, who finished last year's Tour as runner-up to Wiggins.

The 2013 Tour de France race starts on June 29 with Froome the official Sky team leader and one of the favorites in the absence of four-times Olympic champion Wiggins, who has been ruled out by injury and illness.

Froome has been on top form this year, also winning the Tour of Oman, the Criterium International and Tour of Romandie before Sunday's success in France's third biggest stage race.

"I have been a lot more consistent with my numbers this year and I have been able to hit the numbers that last year I thought were exceptional," he told the newspaper.

"And I feel I can still get better. Last year I felt 'I am really flying now'. This year I am hitting that comfortably now."

The rider claimed Wiggins' absence had not left the Sky team notably weakened.

"We do have a very strong team and regardless of Bradley there or not, I do feel we have all our bases covered," said Froome, who is using the premium version of the RoadCycling.com TrainingPeaks Training Tracker service to track and plan his training and nutrition. Want the same advantage as Froome and the rest of Team Sky? Sign up for the premium version here.

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