Froome rides to fourth title at Tour de France
PARIS Riding a bright yellow bike to match his shiny leader’s jersey, defending champion Chris Froome won his fourth and most challenging Tour de France title on Sunday.
The 32-year-old Kenyan-born British rider finished 54 seconds ahead of Colombian Rigoberto Uran overall, the smallest margin of his wins.
This was the third straight win for the Team Sky rider. His first in 2013 came the year after former teammate Bradley Wiggins sparked an era of British dominance.
Frenchman Romain Bardet, runner-up last year, placed 2 minutes 20 seconds behind in third place, denying Spaniard Mikel Landa — Froome’s teammate — a podium spot by just one second. Italian Fabio Aru finished fifth.
As per tradition, the 21st stage was reserved for sprinters and mostly a procession for Froome and the other overall leaders.
Dutchman Dylan Groenewegen won the final stage in a dash to the line. Moments later, Froome and the rest of the peloton crossed the line after eight laps of an eyecatching circuit around the city’s landmarks, finishing as usual on the famed Champs-Elysees.
Froome now needs only one more title to match the Tour record of five shared by Jacques Anquetil, Eddie Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain.
Froome sealed his win on Saturday, finishing third in the time trial in Marseille where he put more time into Uran and Bardet, who dropped from second to third.
After more than three weeks of stressful racing, it was a relaxed and easygoing atmosphere during the 103-kilometre stage.
Some might say Froome did not shine too brightly because he didn’t win a stage, but neither did American Greg LeMond in 1990. For Froome, consistency and a dogged ability to respond when put under pressure were the keys to his latest success.