Chris Froome: Athletics needs to invest as much money as cycling to combat cheats

Britain's Tour de France winner - who will bid for a unique double at the Vuelta a España this month - feels that the International Cycling Union (UCI) spends about four times the amount the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) on the area.

"From what I understand, the testing hasn't been at the level that it is in cycling," said Team Sky rider Froome.

"It is going to have to invest a lot more heavily in anti-doping. That would be a step in the right direction.

"I believe some things have changed quite substantially [for cycling] since the dark ages of 10 to 15 years ago when the sport was really dirty.

"The testing has really evolved and the UCI has now implemented 24-hour testing. I have every confidence that the system now really works."

Froome revealed before the Tour he had missed a drugs test earlier this year, but blamed over-zealous hotel staff for the mishap.

Riders must provide their whereabouts at all times to the authorities so they can be tested out of competition.

Froome also missed one back in 2010 when he admitted he had been "careless".

"I had one other one back in 2010," he said. "I had my hour set in the morning. I woke up early and thought 'Oh. I'll go out training'. I went out training and they came to my house while I was out. Again it was careless on my side. So I've only had those two.

"I'm quite sure that a lot of guys have missed tests. It is common. I would say it is unprofessional. I try - especially when you are sitting on one - you do everything to make sure you are where you say you are going to be, and people know how to contact you.”

Froome hopes professional sport can return to a state that sees the public believe most athletes are clean. Cycling has struggled to overcome the Lance Amstrong shame after the disgraced American was stripped of his seven Tour titles because of blood doping.

"You turn yourself inside out on training camps trying to get yourself ready for the Tour de France and you do an amazing ride - and all of a sudden it's seen with a lot of negativity and doubt," said Froome, who had urine thrown at him on one stage of the Tour.

"You think: 'Hold on a minute, are we all just wasting our time here?' If a good performance is just going to get ripped apart, what are we doing?

"That's what sport is all about, that's why you strive to be the best athlete you can be.

"If you're just going to pull these people down, then there's no point."