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[webfact]

Near perfect Froome claims fourth Tour title

By Julien Pretot

 

Cycling - The 104th Tour de France cycling race - The 103-km Stage 21 from Montgeron to Paris Champs-Elysees, France - July 23, 2017 - Team Sky rider and yellow jersey Chris Froome of Britain is seen before the start. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

 

PARIS (Reuters) - Chris Froome put on a near-perfect performance to claim his fourth Tour de France and move within one title of cycling's greatest on Sunday as Team Sky tightened their grip on the classic race.

 

The Briton suffered a few wobbles throughout the 3,540-km race but was always in control over the three weeks thanks to his high-calibre team mates who sheltered him when it mattered in the mountains, leaving the lanky rider to make the difference in the time trials that book-ended the 104th edition.

 

Sky, who have the biggest budget of the peloton, have now snatched five of the last six titles and came within a whisker of placing two riders on the podium as Spain's Mikel Landa missed out on the top three by one second.

 

Froome is now one title behind all-time greats Belgian Eddy Merckx, Spain's Miguel Indurain and French duo Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault.

He is the first to win three consecutive titles since Indurain, who prevailed from 1991-95.

 

The disgraced Lance Armstrong's seven titles since then have been erased from the record book.

 

"I'm speechless, it's amazing," Froome said after getting off his bike and hugging his wife Michelle and son Kellan.

 

"The Champs Elysees never disappoints, there is something magical when you have spent three weeks thinking about this moment, it's just so rewarding every time.

 

"Each win has been so unique, such a different battle and this will be remembered as the closest and most hard-fought."

 

Colombian Rigoberto Uran finished second overall, 54 seconds behind, and France's Romain Bardet, runner-up last year, was third, 2:20 off the pace after both riders lost time to Froome in Saturday's final time trial.

 

Sky's team principal Dave Brailsford said there was no reason Froome could not add to his tally and become the most successful rider in the race's history.

 

"I think Chris can go on, there is no reason to think that he can't," he said. "Physically he has got what it takes and I don't think that's going to diminish in the next year or so."

 

Sunday's largely processional stage from Montgeron -- where the first Tour started in 1903 -- to the Champs Elysees in Paris was won by Dutchman Dylan Groenewegen in a bunch sprint.

 

The 103-km ride was the occasion for Froome to sip rose Champagne with his team mates as the real racing began only when the peloton, who went through the Grand Palais, reached the Champs Elysees and the sprinters wound it up.

 

Froome's victory was the first one achieved with a gap of less than a minute and while there was no repeat of last year when he had to run up Mont Ventoux without a bike, he did have mechanical scares that his rivals failed to exploit.

 

SLOWED DOWN

 

In the ninth stage, they slowed down for him after Fabio Aru attacked near the top of the final climb with Froome waiting for assistance. A week later his main rivals did not go for the throat when the Briton broke a spoke in his rear wheel and found himself trailing by 45 seconds.

 

He also lacked his usual dominance in the climbs and was beaten in a brutal uphill finish in Peyragudes as the 26-year-old Bardet won the stage to fuel hopes of a first home champion since 1985.

 

Froome always had the safety net of Saturday's 22.2-km sprint around the streets of Marseille where Bardet cracked and almost lost his podium place.

 

France had a great Tour with five stage wins, including a double by Warren Barguil, who won the polka dot jersey for the mountains classification, reviving memories of Richard Virenque.

 

Australian Michael Matthews's versatility earned him the green jersey for the points classification, helped by the fact that world champion Peter Sagan was kicked out of the race for causing a crash that ended Mark Cavendish's race.

 

Germany's Marcel Kittel won five stages but crashed a few days before the finish.

 

Britain's Simon Yates won the white jersey for the best under-25 rider after finishing seventh overall, one year after his twin brother Adam achieved the same feat.

 

(Additional reporting by Martyn Herman, Editing by Clare Fallon)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-07-24

[champers]

And when Froome is done one of the Yates twins or Geraint Thomas can take over the mantle. Vive les Brits!!

[Skeptic7]

Quite an accomplishment! Well done. (Wonder when the "juicing" accusations begin?) 

[Grouse]

42 minutes ago, Skeptic7 said:

Quite an accomplishment! Well done. (Wonder when the "juicing" accusations begin?) 

Is cycling clean now? 

[Credo]

1 hour ago, Grouse said:

Is cycling clean now? 

Sure, this guy has been taking lessons from Lance Armstrong

[Skeptic7]

8 hours ago, Grouse said:

Is cycling clean now? 

Who knows?!? Hence...my query!

 

But for now...my congrats are sincere. 

[Prbkk]

These are great athletes but the sport, this event in particular, risks losing support from the public unless they make changes to the team system ( or at the very least, better articulate the strategies/rules around the team concept). It reminds me of formula 1 in that regard.

There is a reason why Froome is continually overlooked for high honours in sporting awards, ie because the public has very little understanding of his extraordinary achievements ( the others like Wiggins and Cavendish are better recognised because people 'get' what it is they have done).

Watching paint dry/grass grow is 'sexier' than the tv coverage, another part of the problem ( again like formula 1).

[electric]

Well done Chris Froome. Has the makings of a legend if he can win a couple more times.

 

IMHO, the event is now way too tactical and the stages are completely controlled from the team car, not the guy on the bike. I think the race would be more interesting if team radios were banned.

 

Force the riders/teams to make their own decisions based on what they see immediately around them during a stage, without the benefit of radio messages from the manager who is watching a live TV broadcast, and can see how the opposition are faring.

 

Can't see the "no radios" thing happening though. Pity.

 

I really enjoy the TV live coverage of Tour de France. It's like going on a little holiday of southern Europe, whilst still sitting on your sofa.

 

 

Edited July 26, 2017 by electric

[Ace of Pop]

Technically its confusing..watch a F1 race or Moto Gp and one of the names are leading,no reflection on Froom , but i watch TV bites, never see him out front hardly , but he Wins.?


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[SpokaneAl]

It was a magnificent Tour. Love him or hate him, Froome is an amazing rider. I look forward to watching the Tour and the amazing scenery every year. Wouldn't miss it!


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