LONDON, July 27 — Four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome has confirmed his participation in this year’s Vuelta a Espana, Team Sky said today.

Froome, who won the Tour title on Sunday in Paris, has previously finished second in Vuelta on three occasions.

"I’ve got the opportunity and I’m certainly going to go for it,” Froome said in a statement on Team Sky’s website (www.teamsky.com)

"The Vuelta is a race I love — it’s vicious but it’s three weeks that I enjoy. I’ve come second three times now and I’d love to win.

"To win both the Tour and the Vuelta in one year would be absolutely incredible.”

No rider has won the Tour and Vuelta in the same year since the latter was moved to August and September from April in 1995.

The 2017 Vuelta begins on August 19 in France’s Nimes and finishes on September 10 in Madrid. — Reuters