Sir Dave Brailsford has been forced to reiterate that he is fully focussed on helping Brit Chris Froome win the Tour de France, after Sky’s manager claimed he wanted to win the race with a Frenchman in the future.

 France hasn’t celebrated a victory at the Tour since Bernard Hinaut in 1985, but the country’s future is beginning to look bright thanks a new wave of promising young riders such as Warren Barguil, Romain Bardet and Thibaut Pinot, along with climber Kenny Elissonde, Classics man Johan Le Bon and sprinters Arnaud Demare and Nacer Bouhanni.

Team Sky principal Brailsford told the daily sports newspaper L’Equipe on Sunday that a Frenchman winning the race “needs to happen” and that he “would like to win with a French rider”.

"This is the biggest cycling event every year and it would be great for them if a French guy won it.”

"[But] my focus is on doing everything I can to support Team Sky riders to be on the podium and to help Chris to win this race, to inspire people in this country to get involved and to keep on cycling. I have worked for 15 years to try to put British cycling on the map and I hope to continue to do that.”

"The comment was more about a national event - if it's won by the same nation's rider, what a fantastic thing that can be. We have seen it with Andy Murray. It would be an exciting thing to see."

Sky are rumoured to be suitors for Giant-Shimano’s Warren Barguil, who is only 22 and has shown great promise, especially after taking 2 Vuelta a Espana stages last year in his debut Grand Tour. Barguil has also fallen out with Giant after they didn’t pick him for their Tour de France team.

Brailsford did say that the team is “British and performance based” meaning he wont just sign a Frenchman to try and fulfill an impossible dream if he can win with a Brit.

Meanwhile he was questioned on his ability to keep Bradley Wiggins in the team for next year, who is wanted by both ex-employers Garmin-Sharp and Orica-Greenedge.

"Bradley is a fantastic champion and we would like him to continue with Team Sky. We will continue to discuss that with him and see if we can find a way to support him through to Rio [2016 Olympics]."