CHRIS Froome became Britain’s first three-time winner of the Tour de France when he crossed the finish line of the 21-stage race in Paris yesterday.The Team Sky rider, who won the 2013 and 2015 races, is the first man to defend his title in more than 20 years.
He finished arm-in-arm with his team-mates behind the peloton after Andre Greipel won the final sprint finish.
“It’s like the first time, it’s amazing. Every time it’s special,” said 31-year-old Froome.
“It’s an absolutely amazing feeling. It feels like a privilege to be in this position. I’ve always had my team-mates around me.”
Froome’s three victories in four years follows Sir Bradley Wiggins becoming the first Briton to win the race in 2012.
He ended up beating Romain Bardet of France by four minutes and five seconds with Colombia’s Nairo Quintana in third and Britain’s Adam Yates fourth.
The traditional final stage to Paris began with a processional ride from Chantilly, in northern France, with the winners of the four main jerseys leading the peloton.
Froome, in the yellow jersey, was joined by Yates in the white jersey as best young rider, Slovak Peter Sagan in the green points top and Poland’s Rafal Majka in the polka dot king of the mountains jersey.
When the riders reached Paris the pace was increased for nine 6.8km laps of the city centre which culminated in a bunch sprint on the Champs-Elysees.
He becomes just the eighth rider to win at least three Tours de France, joining Belgium’s Phillipe Thys, Louison Bobet of France and American Greg LeMond on three.
With disgraced Lance Armstrong’s seven ‘wins’ between 1999-2005 expunged from the record books after he admitted to doping, the record of five Tour wins, held jointly by Frenchmen Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault, Belgium’s Eddy Merckz and Miguel Indurain of Spain, is very much in Froome’s sight.
Indurain was the last man to successfully defend the title, winning five successive Tours from 1991.
“It would be my dream to keep coming back for the next five or six years and give myself the best opportunity of winning again,” said Froome after finishing stage 20.
“I can’t say the novelty is wearing off. 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 hope I can be back next year to fight for it again.”(BBC Sport)