Of course these kinds of events put sport into perspective, but they also show why the values of sport remain so important in a free society.
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Suspenseful it may not have been, but the 2016 Tour de France was nip and tuck in one way: the time gaps behind the victor. These things will never change. “Vive Le Tour et Vive La France!”.
The world champion won 3 stages, claimed the green points jersey for the fifth year in a row and was also named the race’s most combative rider.
He had already thanked his team, his wife Michelle, and dedicated the win to his eight-month old son Kellan, who he cradled in his arms at the finish line.
It has been all round a much smoother race for the British team this year, the only real booing coming on Mont Ventoux after the race jury’s controversial decision to award Froome the same time as Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) after a crash caused by fans wrecked Froome’s bike and he took the extraordinary decision to run up the road until a spare one arrived.
But Quintana was not at the same level as a year ago, when he tried to corner Froome during the third week and gained time in the closing stages.
Froome crossed the line on the Champs-Elysees more than four minutes clear of his closest rival, France’s Romain Bardet, and bar the freaky sight of him running up Mont Ventoux after a crash damaged his bike, he rarely looked troubled throughout the past three weeks.
“We have an incredible field and are set for a truly Classic race”. That is true. Sky were ruthless and Froome showed commendable opportunism, taking time off his rivals with his thrilling descent on the Peyresourde and his stunning attack off the front in a sprint stage in Montpellier. The services of Wout Poels, Mikel Nieve, Sergio Henao and the host of other superb support riders this year was not lost on the yellow jersey, or his rivals. It is easy to forget that until 2012 Britain had laboured for 100 years without anyone even finishing on the podium.
Ahead of them are five-times champions Miguel Indurain of Spain, Belgian great Eddy Merckx plus Frenchmen Bernard Hinault and Jacques Anquetil.
Tour de France 2016’s victor Christopher Froome (C), wearing the overall leader’s yellow jersey holds his trophy as he celebrates with second-placed Romain Bardet (L), and third-placed Nairo Quintana (R) on the podium on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris, at the end of the 103rd edition of the Tour de France cycling race on July 24, 2016.
Froome joins Philippe Thys, Louison Bobet and Greg LeMond on three titles.
It might have been Froome’s Tour but Peter Sagan was also a shining light.
Froome was one of two Brits on the Paris podium, with 23-year-old Adam Yates also sealing the white jersey of best young rider – the first Brit ever to do so. Meintjes has a background in Belgian racing – a spell at the UC Seraing and the Lotto-Belisol under-23 team – and picked up his first stage race win a year ago.
Team Sky’s leader sealed his third Tour victory on the streets of Paris yesterday and will perform something of a victory lap on home soil at RideLondon on Sunday, effectively a leg loosener before flying to Rio for the Olympics.
“It’s more of a gamble, that’s for sure”, Froome said of the road race.
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“But I think with the team we’ve got we can be extremely competitive”.
