Chris Froome set for Tour de France hat-trick
Two-time champion combats the elements to close in on a momentous third victory. Ian Parker reports
CHRIS Froome is set to win the 2016 Tour de France after safely negotiating a treacherous penultimate stage to Morzine, which was won by Spaniard Jon Izaguirre. A day after crashing in similar conditions, Froome remained upright on the long, wet descent off the Col de Joux Plane alongside his rivals, and will go into today’s largely processional stage into Paris leading by four minutes and five seconds from Frenchman Romain Bardet of AG2R La Mondiale.
Much of the penultimate 146.5km stage from Megeve was played out in heavy rain but Froome was able to avoid late drama after dominating this Tour.
The 31-year-old will become only the eighth man, not including the disgraced Lance Armstrong, to win three or more Tours after his victories in 2013 and 2015, and is the first to defend the Tour title since Miguel Indurain in 1995.
He will join Philippe Thys, Louison Bobet and Greg LeMond on three titles, and will now have his eyes set on five-time winners Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Jacques Anquetil and Indurain.
“I still need to get the yellow jersey to Paris tomorrow but certainly the racing side is done and dusted,” Froome said. “It’s an amazing feeling of relief, just coming over the last line today. Thank you to all my team-mates, they’ve really been there for me every step of the way and I couldn’t ask for more.”
Izaguirre was the last survivor of what had been a 37-man breakaway earlier in the day, racing clear of Vincenzo Nibali and Jarlinson Pantano on the sodden descent to take his first Tour de France stage win.
Behind, there was little drama with none of Froome’s main rivals prepared to risk crashing in the slippery conditions.
Froome was content to cross the line four minutes and 18 seconds after Movistar’s Izaguirre, allowing himself half a smile as he thanked his team-mates on the approach to the line. His primary emotion was of relief as the foul weather had set a potential trap in the Alps.
The Briton has looked a cut above all of his rivals since early in the second week of this Tour, but Friday’s crash had been a reminder that nothing was won yet.
He began the day sporting bandages on his knee and elbow from that spill, and would not have relaxed for a moment knowing he had to face the technical descent into Morzine before any celebrations could begin. The descent has a nasty reputation in any conditions but the rain perhaps helped Froome in discouraging those around him from attempting an attack.
All nine Sky riders finished the stage, with the strength of Froome’s team key to his victory.
Tour director Christian Prudhomme said watching Team Sky was “like watching Paris St Germain, they are so powerful, they always win the championship”.
“Chris Froome was very, very good,” he added. “The others were less good.”
There has not been a home winner of the Tour since Hinault in 1985, and Bardet’s second place is only the third for a French rider in 20 years. Nairo Quintana, seen as Froome’s main pre-Tour rival, is set for third place, four minutes and 21 seconds behind Froome. It will be the Colombian’s third podium finish in the Tour after the Movistar rider finished second to Froome in 2013 and 2015.
Adam Yates, the 23-year-old Briton, is fourth, four minutes 42 seconds down and safe in the white jersey as the best young rider – the first Briton to wear it in to Paris.
“This is only my second Tour de France and only my third Grand T our,” the Orica-BikeExchange rider said. “For a lot of people it’s a dream to ride in the Tour, for me to come in the top 10 or top five, I’m super happy.
“I’ve learned a lot of things, I’m sure I’ll be back in the future.”