Even though the season in road cycling has already kicked-off with events held in Australia and Argentina, Christopher Froome of Team Sky still stays at home in South Africa to continue his preparations ahead of his first campaign of 2014, particularly the Tour of Oman in mid-February, in the familiar surroundings and without the mental pressure usually accompanying him during official training camps.

28-year old Briton races last time at the Saitama Criterium in October, where the yellow jersey owner – in accordance with all expectations, won the event in front of ecstatic crowd. After that, Froome took a long holiday-break to recuperate both physically and mentally.

“I needed a mental break to escape from all the obligations,” he told L’Équipe.

Kenyan-born Tour the France winner participated in Team Sky’s training camp in Tenerife and spent some time in Monaco in December, before he travelled home to south Africa, in order to continue his preparations ahead of 2014 season. He is accompanied by Team Sky soigneur Claudio Lucchini, and Konstantin Siutsou together with trainer Tim Kerrison are expected to join the due next week.

However the most significant part of his build-up prior to 2014 season was carried out in Tenerife during his altitude training on Pico de Teide, Froome claims that the time he spends training in South Africa, surrounded by his family, friends and nature, is equally important for him, and far more enjoyable.

“Being here helps me stay fresher mentally. I’m working hard but it’s not like a training camp in Tenerife,” Froome said.

“I’m at home, I’m relaxing, I see my friends and family. It’s an important part of my preparation and, what’s more, the altitude of 1600-1700 metres is very good for this kind of training.”

According to L’Équipe, Froome’s training during his stay in Africa is as precisely programmed, as every other detail when Team Sky is concerned, but the rider himself claims rather surprisingly, that he does not pay that much attention to the reading on his power meter, as he usually does when the racing season starts in full.

“Here I don’t have an eye fixed on my power meter. I’m looking left and right to see where the animals are,” he said.

Froome’s 2014 season begins at the Tour of Oman, which he won last season, and as we reported earlier today on Cyclingquotes, he is expected to race together with Bradley Wiggins at Tirreno-Adriatico, Milan-San Remo and the Tour the France. Obviously, the latter is the season’s main objective for Froome, and Kenyan-born rider confesses that his highly anticipated title defense is constantly on his mind.

“It’s always there, in the back of my mind. When I ride like this, all alone, I think about the big mountain finishes, the start in Great Britain, the pavé, the last time trial. I think of all of that and how I’ll approach it,” Froome said.

“Today, I thought about how the race was going to pan out tactically, and I also thought about La Planche des Belles Filles [where he won in 2012 - ed.] I can’t wait to get back there.”