Team Sky's Geraint Thomas has insisted that the potential rivalry between teammates Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome could be positive for British cycling.
Both riders are hoping to lead the British team in this year's Tour de France, and Thomas believes that such competition will help generate interest in the sport.
"I quite like all the hype. I think it gets cycling out there," he told BBC Sport. "It is another story, as long as it doesn't affect the riders and I don't think it is.
"I was with Froomey a couple of days ago and he was just joking about it, it gets people talking and gets people interested in it.
"We don't want it to go down the football route and it become a soap opera but I think the odd story like this is good."
Wiggins emerged as Tour de France winner in 2012.
