Chris Froome starts his season which is being geared around him defending his Tour De France title today when he rides for Team Sky in The Tour of Oman.
Froome has opted for this Asia Tour - 2.HC race which starts in Al Suwayq Castle on a 150km stage to Naseem Garden to get his season underway, rather than the earlier races such as the Tour Down Under and Tours of Dubai and Qatar which some of his contenders for the yellow jersey on the finish line in Paris, have already ridden in.
For Froome there is a lot to prove and he told Team Sky's website: "I want to back up everything I achieved last season and prove to people that I am a legitimate champion.
"Especially in this era of cycling, there is so much doubt around what we are doing and I sincerely want to prove to people they can believe in this sport again, believe in me, and believe in Team Sky.
"I hope last year is not going to be a one-off for me because of that would raise doubts. I want to back up my results for the next five years at least to prove that nothing was a fluke. My results will stand the test of time and I want to erase any doubt about them - that is a massive motivation."
Speaking about the Oman race which has six stages and finishes in Matrah Corniche on Sunday, Froome will be up against Joaquim Rodriquez of Katusha, Vincenzo Nibali, Fabian Cancellera, Peter Sagan, Phillipe Gilbert, Tom Boonen, Andre Greipel and Robert Gesink whilst Franck Schleck is back after his suspension and said: "I wouldn't say I have the same kind of pressure that I had last year for Oman
"I'm a lot more relaxed coming into this season, but at the same time I feel just as eager and just as motivated to get stuck into the racing.
"Oman is always a place where you don't quite have the same kind of pressure as in Europe in terms of the press and thousands of spectators. But it is certainly going to be a high level of racing and from the competitors who are lining up there, it is shaping up to be a pretty tough race.
"I have felt good in training and I'm certainly hoping to have a good first outing."