More Froome at the top for Team Sky
by Julien Pretot,
2015-07-27 04:32:00.0
PARIS — Chris Froome won his second Tour de France title in three years on Sunday to enhance his growing reputation as a grand tour specialist.
It was Team Sky’s third Tour triumph in four years after Bradley Wiggins prevailed in 2012 before Froome succeeded him in 2013.
The 30-year-old Froome, a late bloomer who surged into the limelight when he took second place in the 2011 Tour of Spain, beat Colombian Nairo Quintana by 1 minute 12 seconds and his Movistar teammate Alejandro Valverde of Spain by 5:25.
Billed as a four-way battle between Froome, Quintana, Alberto Contador and Vincenzo Nibali, this year’s Tour de France quickly turned into a duel between Froome and Quintana after the double Tour winner from Spain and the Italian defending champion cracked in the Pyrenees.
Froome, the first Briton to win the Tour twice, made his mark in the mountain stage to La Pierre St Martin on the 10th stage before riding defensively to hold off Quintana, who came close to making him crack during Saturday’s stage to l’Alpe d’Huez.
Froome, who crashed out of the race last year, also relegated Quintana to second place in 2013 and their rivalry could develop into something of a classic in time to come.
Because rain had made the tiny cobblestones of the Champs Elysees slippery, the clock was stopped 41km into the 109.5km stage on Sunday.
But Froome still had to complete it to be officially crowned champion.
He finished safely in the main bunch as the sprinters contested the last action of the three-week race around the Champs Elysees.
German Andre Greipel confirmed he was the fastest by overpowering the rest of the field to take the 21st stage, his fourth stage win on this year’s Tour. Frenchman Bryan Coquard was second and Norway’s Alexander Kristoff took third place.
All the major honours had been decided on Saturday.
Quintana won the white jersey for the best under-25 rider for the second time after 2013.
Froome was the first rider to win both the yellow jersey and the polka dot jersey for the mountains classification since Carlos Sastre in 2008.
Slovakian Peter Sagan, who took five second places — but failed to win a stage — secured a fourth consecutive green jersey as winner of the points classification. The record belongs to German Erik Zabel who won it six times in a row from 1996.
Always on the attack, Sagan would have deserved it had he been voted the most aggressive rider of the race.
But the prize for "combativity" went to Frenchman Romain Bardet.
Movistar won the team classification.
Classification
1. Chris Froome (Britain/Team Sky) 83 hours 19 minutes, 15 seconds
2. Nairo Quintana (Colombia/Movistar) +1:12"
3. Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) +5:25"
4. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy/Astana) +8:36"
5. Alberto Contador (Spain/Tinkoff — Saxo) +9:48"
6. Robert Gesink (Netherlands/LottoNL) +10:47"
7. Bauke Mollema (Netherlands/Trek) +15:14"
8. Mathias Frank (Switzerland/IAM Cycling) +15:39"
9. Romain Bardet (France/AG2R) +16:00"
10. Pierre Rolland (France/Europcar) +17:30"
Reuters
Team Sky’s Chris Froome of the UK in the yellow jersey, is shielded by teammates Leopold Konig (right) of Czech Republic and Welshman Geraint Thomas (second left) under the watchful eye of Alberto Contador (back right) of Spain. Picture: DOUG PENSINGER/ GETTY IMAGES
PARIS — Chris Froome won his second Tour de France title in three years on Sunday to enhance his growing reputation as a grand tour specialist.
It was Team Sky’s third Tour triumph in four years after Bradley Wiggins prevailed in 2012 before Froome succeeded him in 2013.
The 30-year-old Froome, a late bloomer who surged into the limelight when he took second place in the 2011 Tour of Spain, beat Colombian Nairo Quintana by 1 minute 12 seconds and his Movistar teammate Alejandro Valverde of Spain by 5:25.
Billed as a four-way battle between Froome, Quintana, Alberto Contador and Vincenzo Nibali, this year’s Tour de France quickly turned into a duel between Froome and Quintana after the double Tour winner from Spain and the Italian defending champion cracked in the Pyrenees.
Froome, the first Briton to win the Tour twice, made his mark in the mountain stage to La Pierre St Martin on the 10th stage before riding defensively to hold off Quintana, who came close to making him crack during Saturday’s stage to l’Alpe d’Huez.
Froome, who crashed out of the race last year, also relegated Quintana to second place in 2013 and their rivalry could develop into something of a classic in time to come.
Because rain had made the tiny cobblestones of the Champs Elysees slippery, the clock was stopped 41km into the 109.5km stage on Sunday.
But Froome still had to complete it to be officially crowned champion.
He finished safely in the main bunch as the sprinters contested the last action of the three-week race around the Champs Elysees.
German Andre Greipel confirmed he was the fastest by overpowering the rest of the field to take the 21st stage, his fourth stage win on this year’s Tour. Frenchman Bryan Coquard was second and Norway’s Alexander Kristoff took third place.
All the major honours had been decided on Saturday.
Quintana won the white jersey for the best under-25 rider for the second time after 2013.
Froome was the first rider to win both the yellow jersey and the polka dot jersey for the mountains classification since Carlos Sastre in 2008.
Slovakian Peter Sagan, who took five second places — but failed to win a stage — secured a fourth consecutive green jersey as winner of the points classification. The record belongs to German Erik Zabel who won it six times in a row from 1996.
Always on the attack, Sagan would have deserved it had he been voted the most aggressive rider of the race.
But the prize for "combativity" went to Frenchman Romain Bardet.
Movistar won the team classification.
Classification
1. Chris Froome (Britain/Team Sky) 83 hours 19 minutes, 15 seconds
2. Nairo Quintana (Colombia/Movistar) +1:12"
3. Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) +5:25"
4. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy/Astana) +8:36"
5. Alberto Contador (Spain/Tinkoff — Saxo) +9:48"
6. Robert Gesink (Netherlands/LottoNL) +10:47"
7. Bauke Mollema (Netherlands/Trek) +15:14"
8. Mathias Frank (Switzerland/IAM Cycling) +15:39"
9. Romain Bardet (France/AG2R) +16:00"
10. Pierre Rolland (France/Europcar) +17:30"
Reuters
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