Nicolas Roche has highlighted just how keen he is to ride the Tour de France with Team Sky, and says he wants to help Chris Froome secure his second overall title at the French Grand Tour.

Speaking at Team Sky’s winter training camp in Mallorca, he said to Sky Sports News: “The Tour is such a special race. I just like going to the Tour, and we’re going there with great ambitions, fighting for the overall victory with Froome.”

“I have a good feeling about this year. I feel I could be very useful as a top teammate with Chris in the Tour. It could be an exciting role.”

While many are billing the race already to be a show down between Froome and Roche’s old teammate at Tinkoff-Saxo, Alberto Contador, Roche sees other rivals causing the two men problems in the GC.

“They [Froome and Contador] are definitely two of the greatest rivals of the last few years and I cannot see this year being very different. We cannot forget [Nairo] Quintana and [Alejandro] Valverde and [Vincenzo] Nibali and Purito [Joaquim Rodriguez] and all of these riders as well, but the big show is between these two guys I think.”

In terms of personal goals, Roche is hoping to lead the team at the Clasics San Sebastian and co-lead at the Vuelta a Espana, where he has won a stage, worn the leaders jersey and finished fifth before, in 2013.

“There’s nothing wrong with having two riders going in for GC [general classification] in a Grand Tour,” he said. “Hopefully I could be a back-up plan in the Vuelta.”

“It’s a race that suits me. I love racing the Vuelta. I have always enjoyed Tour-Vuelta. It’s a combination that suits me. I really missed doing the Vuelta last year. I’m really happy to be doing the double, regardless of my role.”