Chris Froome retained his Tour de France lead despite crashing on a dramatic stage 19, which was won by home favourite Romain Bardet.
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Froome has crashed twice while wearing the yellow jersey in this race – including Friday’s spill close to Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc – somehow increasing his overall lead both times, but his race might forever be remembered for those freakish images of him running up Mont Ventoux on foot on stage 14.
Bardet also moved up from fifth place overall to second – four minutes, 11 seconds behind Froome. Bike racing is a whole.
Only a disaster can now deny Froome another tour victory after previously triumphing in 2013 and 2015.
“It is ironic really as I was just trying to stay up front”, Froome said of the crash.
“I think it’s going to be hard for me now, I’ve had my ups and downs here but for next year I can take away quite a bit of confidence”, said the 31-year-old.
Tomorrow’s route from Chantilly to the French capital will be largely processional as tradition dictates the Yellow Jersey holder should not be challenged during the final stage.
Brailsford added: “In the first week and then into the Pyrenees, when the time gaps were very small, Chris gained his time by attacking on the downhill, in the crosswinds, and that was exciting. Chris Froome was very good, his opponents less good”.
Stage 20, 146.5 km from Megève to Morzine in the Alps, includes four categorized climbs, the last of which is followed by a tricky and sinewy descent to the finish line.
Froome is also set to become the first man since Indurain, who won his five titles consecutively from 1991, to successfully defend the title.
Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx-QuickStep) and green jersey Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) have all won combativity prizes already at this year’s race and got up the road. “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”.
“This shows the Tour is never over until we get to Paris”. “I wanted to drop Nibali because I was anxious about him in a sprint”.
It’s not quite all over yet: the final Alpine stage brings quadruple peaks in short order, with three testing climbs that are due a Tour visit – none of the Colombier, Col de la Ramaz or the final Col de Joux Plane have featured in the race since 2010.
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Stage 20 began with a minute of silence to honor those killed in the Munich shooting on Friday evening. Froome and the other leaders of the Tour were joined by German national champion Andre Greipel at the front of the peloton as riders removed their helmets and stood silently.
