THE KEY STAGES IN HIS TRIUMPHANT TOUR . . .
OPENING DAY TIME TRIAL IN DUSSELDORF
A brilliant opening day for Team Sky, with four riders in the first eight over the 14km course. Rival teams complained about Sky’s high-tech skinsuits but crucially Froome gained a significant time advantage over the main General Classification contenders. Rigoberto Uran lost 51sec that day as he battled weather conditions significantly worse than Froome had faced. The Colombian finished second yesterday, just 54sec down.
STAGE 9
Richie Porte was seen as the main threat to Froome but the Briton’s training partner and former Team Sky colleague was the victim of a horrific crash that marked the end of his race. The Australian suffered a broken pelvis and collarbone.
STAGE 12
Having taken the yellow jersey from team-mate Geraint Thomas, Froome then lost it to Fabio Aru after seemingly cracking on a brutally steep finish in the Pyrenees. Froome says he failed to fuel properly.
STAGE 14
Two days after taking yellow, Aru surrenders the maillot jaune back to Froome after getting caught out on a steep finish into Rodez. A lack of support from his team sees Aru poorly placed in the peloton and he loses crucial time.
TOO MUCH RESPECT?
The debate will continue as to whether too much deference is shown to Froome. Twice when he had mechanicals his rivals did not attack, Aru threatening to, only for the other main GC contenders to admonish him.
COL D’IZOARD
The last mountain stage ended at the summit of the mighty Izoard, and it was seen as the last chance for Romain Bardet and Uran to break Froome. But with the support of a dominant Team Sky — in particular Mikel Landa and Michal Kwiatkowski — Froome proved ‘untouchable’, as Irish rider Dan Martin described him.
MARSEILLE TIME TRIAL
On paper Froome was the strongest time trial rider against the main GC contenders but he still needed to execute his plan perfectly to protect the 23sec lead he held over Bardet and the 29sec advantage he had over Uran. In the end, he did so comfortably.