Team Sky want to win the Tour de France with a French rider
Sir Dave Brailsford has stated his wish to win the Tour de France with a French rider for the first time since 1985.
Brailsford established Team Sky with the aim of producing a first British winner and has succeeded, with Sir Bradley Wiggins' 2012 triumph in the 99th edition followed last year by a win for Chris Froome, the defending champion in this year's race.
Now Brailsford has told French newspaper L'Equipe of his desire to give France a first winner since Bernard Hinault won the last of his five titles in 1985.
Team Sky principal Brailsford told L'Equipe: "We have won the Tour with a British rider, but when are we going to see a French rider win the Tour? That would be enormous."
Asked if that could be his next objective, the former British Cycling performance director added: "Yes, I would like to win with a French rider.
"I think it needs to happen. For the Tour, for France, for the French, for the sport, having a French winner would be massive.
"I think about it often. France deserves a French winner."
Brailsford is a fluent French speaker and was keen to satisfy a French audience craving for a successor to Hinault.
Team Sky was established as a British team, in partnership with British Cycling, but just two Britons were selected in their nine-rider squad for the 101st Tour, which began in Leeds on Saturday.
Wiggins and Pete Kennaugh were among those omitted from Team Sky's Tour squad.
Many of Team Sky's rivals select riders predominantly from their country of origin - FDJ has nine French riders, Europcar eight Frenchmen, Belkin seven Dutchmen and Movistar seven Spaniards - but Brailsford insisted riders would not be selected based on their passports.
He has also overlooked talents such as the 21-year-old Bury twins Simon and Adam Yates, who are enjoying successful first years as professionals with Australian squad Orica-GreenEdge.
Simon Yates is making his Tour debut as one of three Britons left in the race following Mark Cavendish's withdrawal with a shoulder injury.
I think it needs to happen. For the Tour, for France, for the French, for the sport, having a French winner would be massive. > I think about it often. France deserves a French winner.