Pulling no punches, Chris Froome has made it abundantly evident that he has no intention of ever again playing second fiddle to Sky team-mate Bradley Wiggins in the Tour de France.

After his win at the Critérium du Dauphiné on Sunday, Froome, widely regarded as being superior to Wiggins in the mountains at last year’s Tour, told the Times newspaper that he fancied himself to be in a position to conquer the Tour for a number of 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," Froome explained.

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

This year's race starts on June 29 with Froome the official Sky team leader and one of the favourites in the absence Wiggins, who has been ruled out through injury and illness.

Froome has been in breath-taking form this year, also winning the Tour of Oman, the Critérium International and Tour of Romandie before Sunday's success in France.

"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."

Rather surprisingly, and maybe bound to cause controversies within the Sky camp, Froome added that Wiggins' absence did not constitute any significant weakness of the Sky team.

"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.