Froome, who won time trial bronze in London, crossed the finish line in Paris last Sunday to seal a British-record third Tour de France title.
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This could have been the year that Team Sky allowed Thomas to go his own way as a “free electron” and aim for a high placing in the Tour de France, rather than serving as a domestique (helper) for team leader Chris Froome.
Frenchman Romain Bardet finished second overall, 2:52 behind Froome, who had a 4:05 lead going into the last stage but was caught on the wrong side of a split in the finale of Sunday’s stage.
The mostly flat 113-kilometer (70-mile) stage should set up well for a mass sprint on the cobblestones below the Arc de Triomphe.
Sir Bradley Wiggins was knighted in 2012 after becoming the first rider to win the Tour and Olympic gold in the same year and Froome could emulate his former team-mate.
“My son Kellan: this victory is for you”, said Froome, who rides for Team Sky.
Wiggins said: “It’s more disappointing for the clean athletes there that want to compete”. The 200km course will see Froome and his team at Sky, fly through Kingston town and over Hampton Court Bridge, into Surrey and later finishing at Westminster.
Only four riders have more Tour wins – with five each – than Froome: Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain.
“We all love the Tour de France, we love the Tour because it’s unpredictable”.
“My focus is on the Tour”, Froome said. He was also second in the race in 2014.
“So I knew because I won that last time trial all I had to do was keep my head on for ten days and do the same performance”.
Movistar rider Quintana was expected to be Froome’s main challenger but the Colombian’s attacks in the mountains failed to materialise and he said he had been “suffering with allergies” during the race.
Compared to his wins in 2013 and 2015, Froome has become more adept at handling speculation that he is doping.
British Cycling President Bob Howden hailed the achievements of the eight British riders who featured at the International Cycling Union (UCI) WorldTour race, with Mark Cavendish having claimed four stage wins and Steve Cummings one, in addition to Froome and Yates’ achievements.
World champion Sagan continued his domination of the points classification, which rewards consistently high finishes on each stage.
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They finished in the back section of the peloton in which 169 riders were all credited with the same time behind stage victor Andre Greipel of Germany.
