Chris Froome Wins Third Tour De France Title

Froome is generally known as a conservative, non-flamboyant racer but his win included a crash that destroyed his bicycle and the wild downhill run at the end of the race where riders are generally more cautious.

“I definitely feel I’ve matured a lot as a bike rider over the past couple of seasons”, he said.

With the road race just a day after the opening ceremony on August 5, Wiggins revealed the tight turnaround and change in timezones will make for challenging conditions for Froome, but he backed his compatriot to handle the pressure.

Froome’s moment of panic after his bike was broken amid chaotic scenes on the packed mountain could have cost him his third Tour title until the race jury intervened.

The stage was finally won by Lotto Soudal sprinter Andre Greipel with Froome safely crossing the line arm in arm with his team-mates. “Kellan, I dedicate this victory to you”, Froome said, also thanking his teammates and coaches.

These post-Tour exhibition races shouldn’t put too much strain on a exhausted body, though after last year’s Tour Froome admitted that he did too many.

Just like the 1978 strike, the tears of Richard Virenque when kicked out of the 1998 Tour over the Festina affair, or Lance Armstrong going off road on a unsafe mountain descent yet remaining upright, this year’s race provided an image that will endure for years.

“I’ve won it three times and I can categorically say the novelty is not wearing off”.

In 2012, Froome finished third behind fellow Briton Bradley Wiggins and German Tony Martin, and his time trial performances on the Tour – second and first – suggest he could be a contender on Aug.10.

But the 31-year-old is already focusing on next year’s Tour and beyond. It’s such an incredible event and to be in the yellow jersey is every cyclist’s dream and the biggest honour in our sport. I think he needs another race before the Vuelta, so we will see where we are at. The way he won the Tour, there’s no question of whether that form’s going to go anywhere over two weeks. I’d love to come back next year and fight for it again’.

Froome’s former right-hand man, Richie Porte, ended up colliding with a motorbike on the Mont Ventoux stage, with Froome right behind his ex-team-mate.

Tour director Christian Prudhomme complimented Froome for showing “panache” after his downhill attack in the Pyrenees, and the fans have treated him better, too. “The strength of the team was phenomenal, we had five climbers and we’ve all led teams but there were no egos and everything was all about Froome”, Thomas said.

When discussing the road race, Froome admits that it will not be an easy race, but he has faith in a strong British team that he will be part of. But credit to the French public, the race continued.

“It’s been a really strong sign”, he said, “that life goes on and it’s not going to be stopped by these terrorist activities”.