Chris Froome has revealed his ambition to make one of the sport's greatest comebacks, winning the Tour de France for the fifth or sixth time in as many weeks with 30 hours of indoor riding during the COVID-19 epidemic.

In a series of interviews, Froome revealed that he drew inspiration from a photograph he took last June at the Criterium du Dauphiné when he crashed into a wall while considering a time trial route and suffered serious injuries and broken bones.

He has no memory of the moment he crashed at 70 km/h, but his long recovery and return to the saddle after months of rehabilitation, follow-up surgery, pain, and personal sacrifice seems to have made him more resilient and determined than ever.

Froom will turn 35 on May 20, so a fifth Tour de France win would make him the second oldest winner in history, but he seems mentally, if not physically, rejuvenated. Although the crash ended his hopes of a fifth Tour de France win in 2019, his comeback has spurred his future ambitions.

"My dream after retirement is to win more Tour de France than anyone else," Froome told French newspaper L'Equipe (opens in new tab).

"That would be the perfect scenario, but I know there is still a lot of work to do to make that happen."

Froom was able to ride a bike before he could walk and spent six months rebuilding broken bones and lacerated muscles in a personal pain cave. The tight restraints in France provided an extraordinary opportunity for him to return to near full strength while his rivals were unable to race hard in the spring.

If racing resumes in July and the Tour de France is safely scheduled between August 29 and September 29, Froome should be ready to join the race for the win. He is working in the belief that he can become the fifth rider to win the Tour de France five times in 2020.

The eventual victory will undoubtedly be one of the greatest comebacks in the sport, along with Greg LeMond's return to victory after being shot and Niki Lauda's return to Formula 1 motor racing after surviving a terrible crash and coma.

"It's huge," Froome said in an interview with the Times, Telegraph, and La Gazzetta dello Sport. Without a doubt, it will be one of the biggest comeback stories in the sport."

"Given the successful recovery and my track record, that's the plan. I'd like to think I have a chance. But I have the experience and the motivation.

"This past year has given me a lot of time to think about what I went through. When I look at other racers who have gone through similar experiences and come back stronger, I can see why. It gives me a whole new perspective on my career and racing. In cycling, I saw (Alejandro) Valverde break his leg in the Tour, come back and become world champion the following season.

"Hopefully, after the crash, people will write me off a little bit. That's to my advantage. Every time I've faced adversity, I've always pushed myself harder."

Froom looked at the images of his injuries during the interview, clearly finding inner strength in the pain of the pictures.

"When I look at it now, it motivates me," he said. 'Some of the pictures are quite painful and some of the bones seem to be sticking out. It reminds me of how much I've grown in the last few months."

"It's something I almost put out of my mind, but it's pretty motivating to think that it was a year ago and now I'm back to full training and hoping to win this year's Grand Tour. It's a great contrast. 0]

Froom is confident that he is ready to compete in the Tour de France at the end of the summer, but in order to reduce the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks within the peloton and among the general public, spectators along the route will be restricted and riders will be in a protective bubble in some form. Admittedly, it could be a very different event, held behind closed doors.

"Large crowds will not be allowed or expected to come together in the foreseeable future. Better to have a race, even a limited one, that is at least enjoyable and safe for all."

Froome had initially hoped to return in July, but after undergoing surgery in November to remove a metal plate from his hip, he contracted an infection that forced him to take several weeks off. The suspension of all racing and the September dates of the Tour de France offer a chance for him to compete on equal terms with his Ineos teammates, his biggest rivals and contenders for the leader's spot in the Tour de France.

"From a very personal point of view, it is an advantage to be able to devote more time to preparing for the Tour and recovering from injuries, but it is not something to rejoice about because of all the difficulties people have to face, not only in terms of health but also in terms of finances," he told L'Equipe.

"If you compare it to previous seasons and look at the situation last April, we are in a similar situation.

"This [delay] gave me a little extra time to make sure that my right leg, the right side of my body, was firing properly before I really put the load on," Froome told The Times.

The power that Froome can produce on his home trainer is "about the same as my power at this time of year in a normal season," even if it is nowhere near the maximum load of a high-altitude training camp or ultimate race test. But Froome is ready for phase two, when France lifts its tight blockade on May 11 and he can return to outdoor training.

"I can say that the recovery process is complete. All that remains now is to get back to peak fitness to be able to win races," he said.

Froome is pursuing victory for personal reasons and professional necessity. His contract with Team Ineos runs through this year, and a new deal has yet to be agreed upon.

It is unlikely that Froome will leave Team Ineos, but if he wins the Tour de France, another multi-million pound contract will be signed and he will certainly take a leadership role with Egan Bernal and Geraint Thomas beyond 2021.

"I don't feel that I am close to retirement. [I want to race at least a few more seasons. I don't have a contract beyond this season, but with everything that's happened in the last few months, I don't think that's my top priority at this point. I am confident that once I get back to racing I will be able to move forward towards a contract."