Froome sets sights on fifth Tour triumph

CHRIS Froome on Sunday set his sights on a fifth Tour de France in 2018, which would move him alongside legends Eddy Merckx, Jacques Anquetil, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain as a five-time winner.

“It’s a huge honour to be talked about in the same sentence as those guys with their place in the history of the Tour de France,” 32-year-old Froome said. “It is just a privilege to even be in the position to be going for that kind of record.

“Each time I’ve won the Tour it’s so unique and so different, and it is such a different battle to get to this moment. So they’re all special in their own ways and this year I think will be remembered for being the closest and most hardfought battle between the GC rivals.”

First of all, however, was a Froome family celebration after being reunited with his wife and young son in Paris on Sunday.

“It’s amazing to see e them again. It feels like more thann a month on the road,” said Froome. roome. “Definitely a celebration tion is overdue. I’m looking g forward to it.”

Froome (pictured on the podium with his son, AFP) had already toasted sted with a glass of champagne agne on the road during Sunday’s 21st and final stage tage of the 104th editionn of the Tour, a 103km run from Montgeron to Paris.

The stage was won n by young Dutchman Dylanlan Groenewegen, denyying German veterann Andre Greipel a hatatt r i ck of wins on the Champs-Elysees.

Having won in 2015 5 and last year, Greipel l left his charge until too late and just failed to overhauloverh Groenewegen. “I wasw in the position I wante wanted to be in the corner, b but maybe I should have gone a bit earlier,” a d mi t t e d G r e i p e l , whosew Lotto Soudal teamte failed to win a s i ng l e s t a g e t hi s year.ye “G r o e n e w e g e n m made a really strong spr int. It was a headwind and in t the end maybe the race was fivefi metres too short. Of course I am not happy and the team is not happy that we didn’t win a stage, and now we have to look forward.” Groenewe Groenewegen, 24, of the Lotto NL Jumbo team, said he’d picked the right wheel to follow into the sprint.

“To win on the Champs-Elysees makes it a perfect day. We’re only five riders in the team but it was enough today,” he said. “They did a great job.”

For Rigoberto Uran, second place to Froome was a reason to celebrate.

No one before in any of Froome’s previous Tour victories had finished within a minute of the dominant Briton – Uran was at just 54 seconds.

“I’m delighted. It’s emotional, the fruit of many years of dedication, hard work and effort,” said the 30-year-old Colombian. “Today is the recompense. I feel like I’m flying. It was a great race against a rival like Froome. Now’s the time to make the most of it.

“My message to the people of Colombia is to work hard – things come to those who work hard, are dedicated and try.”