“I’d say for now my focus for now is definitely on the Tour de France, given it is just such a special race”, the Briton said in the post-podium press conference in a wet, grey Morzine on Saturday. “Vive le Tour, Vive la France”, Froome told the crowd in French during the trophy ceremony, referring to the recent attacks in Paris and Nice.
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For many, Sky’s powerful team, with Froome’s lieutenants setting a punishing pace on the climbs, killed the race, turning it into a Froome-Sky procession.
“To Michelle my wife and my son Kellan, your love and support make everything possible”.
Tour director Christian Prudhomme said it was Froome’s incredible attacks on stages eight and 11 that were the stand-out moments for him.
Andre Greipel of Germany won the 21st leg in a sprint finish.
2016 Tour de France victor Chris Froome, of Team Sky.
As for the Spaniard, Froome said that he would have preferred to take on a fit Contador in the race, knowing that would have enhanced his yellow jersey.
Sagan’s bike is the latest Specialized S-Works Venge ViAS and also features green handlebar tape and world champion stripes on the Roval deep-section wheels.
The 31-year-old, who started the 146.5km stage with a bandage on his right knee following a crash on Friday, was never threatened on a stormy and rainy day in the Alps.
It was the first for his country and his Movistar team at this Tour but most surprising for having come from defeating two talented descenders in Vincenzo Nibali and Jarlinson Pantano on the 12km run down to the finish in Morzine.
In doing so, he will become just the eighth rider to win three Tour titles, following legendary five-time winners Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain, while joining Philippe Thys, Louison Bobet and Greg LeMond who have all won three.
The 21st stage got off to a picture-postcard start as the peloton rode by the perfectly manicured gardens of the Chateau de Chantilly.
Per Whit Yost of Bicycling, the Tour will end the 113-kilometre stage with nine laps of the Champs-Elysees, as traditional since 1975.
Slovakia’s Peter Sagan won the green points jersey for a fifth straight year and Rafal Majka of Poland claimed the polkadot king of the mountains jersey for the second time in three years.
“Once we hit the finale, we were one guy too short so I chose to follow Alexander Kristoff who was the strongest”.
He also won a stage in the 2012 Giro d’Italia.
“It feels like it’s been a roller coaster”, Froome said.
Born in Kenya but schooled in South Africa, the then 22-year-old had his head in the books of an economics degree in Johannesburg and was destined not towards the Champs-Elysees, but instead a life of numbers, office blocks and the Monday blues.
It was a hard stage for the Etixx-Quick Step team.
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Froome discussed both cases “My thoughts on Nairo’s ride here in the Tour de France…I have seen him obviously stronger in the past”, he said.
