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 The Briton's hopes of back-to-back Tour de France victories ended
in agony when he crashed out early in the 2014 edition, just one of
several setbacks for the Team Sky rider.
But after the team's training camp in Mallorca, Froome is ready to
go head-to-head with Contador after finishing second to the Spaniard
in last year's Vuelta.
"He definitely pushes me to train harder," Froome said of the
Tinkoff-Saxo rider who has won the Tour de France twice, the Giro
once and the Vuelta three times.
"When I'm out training, I wonder what he's up to today, I wonder how
hard he's training somewhere in snowy, wet Lugano."
Froome admits he has some way to go to cement his name among the
cycling greats.
But starting the season fresh, without nagging back problems and
with the spotlight off his supposed strained relationship with team
mate and 2012 Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins, will help his
cause.
"I feel I'm in a better place mentally," Froome said in British
media. "I feel I don't have the same kind of pressure I had last
year.
"Last year, through the winter it was very much 'Okay, I've won the
Tour, now I've got to do it again. Everyone's banking on you doing
this'. It felt a bit overwhelming at times."
"There's a better vibe than this time last year."
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Contador also crashed out of last year's Tour de France, but he
and Froome are expected to battle for the yellow jersey this year
when the race starts in Utrecht, Netherlands in July.
"He is an extremely tough rival for me. If anyone knows how to win
the Tour de France, it's him," Froome says.
"Alberto can smell weakness. He can smell it when you're having a
bad day."
Contador, who was stripped of a third Tour de France victory because
of a doping violation, will attempt to win the Giro and Tour de
France in quick succession this year, a schedule some think is
foolhardy.
"I wouldn't say it's impossible, but he's set himself a difficult
task. By the time you get to the third week of the second Grand
tour, you're on your hands and knees," said Froome.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Alan Baldwin)
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