Chris Froome has spoken at the Saitama Criterium to Cyclingnews, showing his support for Team Sky as well as revealing his provisional race program, which doesn’t feature the Giro d’Italia.

"It's a good fit. It's a British team and I love the way in which the team works, the support structure, and the work ethic. There's a real buzz around the group that's on the road. It's just such a dynamic group," he told Cyclingnews. "I’d find it hard to imagine being on another team. Having said that I'll have to see where I am in two years time but I've done seven years with the team now and I hope to continue."

Froome confirmed he will once more begin his season in Australia. He hasn’t yet indicated if he will ride the Tour Down Under, but the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race and Herald Sun Tour, where he is defending champion, look the best options.

"I don't know which events I'll be doing yet but I think it was a good start for me this year to be down there in Australia," he said. "I got some good training in and some long miles on the bike. Maybe I'll go down there again and maybe do the Cadel Evans race. Doing the Sun Tour worked well last year. Making the race there and riding back from the stages, that ended up being a really good block."

One other race Froome was keen to ride is the Tour of California. The race is now WorldTour and he could substitute it in for the Tour de Romandie.

"There are small changes that we can make in terms of training and the small tweaks that Tim is always looking at in order to improve," said Froome. "In terms of the programme I'd love to do California one year. I don't know if next year I'll get the chance but that's always a race I'd like to do. Yorkshire, potentially but I don't know what that conflicts with. I'll have to look at that with the team."

According to Cyclingnew, here is a rough outline of a potential race schedule for Froome: 

January 29 Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race 

February 1-5 Jayco Herald Sun Tour

March 20-28 Volta a Catalunya 

April 23 Liège-Bastogne-Liège

April 28-30 Tour de Yorkshire

May 14-20 Tour of California

June 4-10 Criterium du Dauphine

July 1-23 Tour de France

August 19-September 10 Vuelta a España