Tour de France winner Chris Froome has thrown his support behind embattled Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford amid anti-doping investigations.
The UK Anti-Doping agency are currently investigation allegations of wrongdoing on the part of Team Sky regarding the contents of a jiffy bag sent to Bradley Wiggins at the Critérium du Dauphiné race in 2011.
The team concedes mistakes were made - but deny breaking anti-doping rules.
Froome reiterated these sentiments this afternoon when he broke his silence on the investigation and said that without Brailsford, "there is no Team Sky."
The statement read: "It disappoints me hugely to see the way in which Team Sky has been portrayed by the media recently. It does not reflect the support crew and the riders that I see around me.
"At the same time I completely understand why people feel let down by the way in which the situation is being handled, and going forward we need to do better.
"I would like to apologise for this on behalf of myself and the other riders of Team Sky who feel passionately about our sport and winning clean. I believe in the people around me, and what we are doing."
Froome was supportive of Brailsford and the work he has done in charge of Team Sky.
"With respect to Dave Brailsford, he has created one of the best sports teams in the world. Without Dave B, there is no Team Sky.
"He has supported me throughout the past seven years of my career and I couldn't be more grateful for the opportunities and the experiences that I've had.
"By his own admission, mistakes have been made, but protocols have been put in place to ensure that those same mistakes will not be made again."
Chris Froome (left) and David Brailsford toast during the 21st stage of the Tour de France cycling race in 2016. Image: Christophe Ena / AP/Press Association Images
Froome acknowledged the damage that has been done to the reputation of Team Sky and admitted the public would need time to rebuild its trust in the team.
"I know it will take time for faith to be restored, but I will do my utmost to ensure that happens, along with everyone else at Team Sky."
Less than two weeks ago, Brailsford's claim that the package - or jiffy bag - had contained flumicil, was challenged by UKAD chief Nicole Sapstead, who told MPs there was no evidence to prove that the package contained the legal decongestant.
She claimed that ex-Team Sky doctor Richard Freeman failed to upload medical records. Furthermore, Dr. Freeman then reported the laptop was also stolen.
"There are no records," she told the Department of Culture, Media and Sport Committee hearing. "He kept medical records on a laptop and he was meant, according to Team Sky policy, to upload those records to a dropbox that the other team doctors had access to.
"But he didn’t do that, for whatever reason, and in 2014 his laptop was stolen while he was on holiday in Greece."
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