Chris Froome has described it as a ‘special feeling’ for his final race at Team Ineos to be the Vuelta Espana.

The 35 year-old, who has not been selected for the Tour de France and will instead line up for the start in Spain on October 20, won the Vuelta in 2011 and 2017.

And Froome is excited to compete in the race which he first broke through in nine years ago before he moves to Israel Start-Up Nation next season.

He said: "It is a strange feeling but a sentimental feeling as well. 

"The Vuelta a España was the race where I first really discovered myself as a Grand Tour contender nine years ago with this team, so to be doing it now, as my last race with Team Ineos, has a special feeling to it.

"It’s a race I’ve always enjoyed doing and it will be great to get stuck into a Grand Tour in that sense."

Froome, who has been with Team Ineos (previously Team Sky) since 2010, originally finished second at the 2011 Vuelta, one place ahead of teammate Bradley Wiggins but behind Juan Jose Cobo.

But Cobo was retrospectively struck from the race for a doping violation and Froome was awarded his first Grand Tour victory.

Since then, the Kenyan-born Brit has won six more Grand Tours including four Tour de France titles, the 2017 Vuelta and 2018 Giro d’Italia.

But both he and fellow Tour winner Geraint Thomas will not line up for this year’s edition of the French race after failing to show team boss Dave Brailsford enough form to merit being selected for the Ineos squad.

Froome is continuing his recovery from a serious crash last year which left him hospitalised and in danger of never riding his bike again.