After helping Chris Froome win two Tour de France titles, as well as wrapping up the Volta a Valenciana, Liege-Bastogne-Liege, stages in Tirreno, Catalunya and Britain, Wout Poels says he now believes he can lead Team Sky in a Grand Tour in 2017.

"This winter we have to look with the team as to what my programme will be and what they want to do, and with Chris. Maybe it will be the Vuelta or the Giro but we have to look at it," Poels told Cyclingnews after winning stage 6 of the Tour of Britain. "I think the Vuelta might be better but I've done the Giro one time and I also really liked it there. We have to see."

Poels, who says he is still very keen to ride the Tour de France in support of Froome once more, is hoping his legs are as ready as his head is for riding a three week Tour as leader.

“I'm now 28 and I've done some really nice things with Chris in the Tour so I think I'm ready for it. Hopefully the legs are ready for it."

Poels, who has the Tour of Lombardy as his next big goal in the season, as well as the European Championships, was very strong in the Tour’s final week, proving key to Chris Froome’s demolition of the field.