Froome secured a rare double this year, winning the Spanish event just a few weeks after taking his fourth Tour de France.
But he now faces questions about his integrity after it emerged this week that the Brit had provided a urine sample that contained double the legally permitted amount of Salbutamol, a controlled substance he uses to treat his asthma.
Froome was nominated for BBC Sports Personality of the Year last month and appeared via video link from his training camp in Mallorca.
“I completely get it. I understand the concerns,” Froome said.
“I’ve been a bike rider for 10 years and I know how some people might look at our sport.
“That’s a responsibility that I take really seriously. I am an asthmatic. I have been since I was a child.
“I use a puffer to help me manage my asthma. I’ve never taken more puffs than I’m allowed.
“This is quite a horrible situation if I’m honest and we’re working as hard as we can to try to get to the bottom of this.”
If Froome can prove he took no more than the allowed dose, then he will escape punishment.
But otherwise he could face a lengthy ban and have his Vuelta title stripped, taking away his double that has only been achieved by two other cyclists in history.
“This season has been a brutal season of racing,” Froome added.
“The Tour de France is the pinnacle of the cycling calendar and this year was such a close race between me and my rivals.
“But standing on that podium on the Champs Elysee for the fourth time, that feeling never gets old.
“It’s such a special feeling. To go on to the Vuelta a few weeks later and win there, that was a massive challenge for me.”