“I can’t describe it”, said Greipel. “I was really grateful nothing is seriously injured, but it could have gone either way”. With his own bike unusable and a replacement on his team auto several minutes away, the race leader began running up the mountain before taking a bike from a neutral support vehicle.
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Friday’s 19th stage proved him right.
“The French public make this race what it is, and it’s a French event”, said the Kenyan-born Froome.
It’s just such an incredible feeing just coming over that last finish line today with all my team-mates.
“Today showed exactly why I thought the Tour was not over”, Froome, who sported a heavily bandaged knee on the podium, told ITV4.
On the final descent, which had a vertical drop of more than 700 meters (2,300 feet), Froome was extremely careful but none of his main rivals attacked.
Team Sky rider Froome survived two crashes and even a jog up a mountain road to add to his 2013 and 2015 triumphs and become the first rider to retain his title since Spaniard Miguel Indurain in 1995.
Patched up after his crash on Friday, Froome broke into a broad smile on yesterday’s home stretch – grinning in the rain, and who can blame him?
Chris Froome rode cautiously and sealed his third yellow jersey.
He took yellow with a surprise downhill attack on stage eight to Bagneres-de-Luchon, then extended his advantage by attacking in the crosswinds on stage 13 to Montpellier, before that unforgettable day on Mont Ventoux. And he did it again when he went with (Peter) Sagan in Montpellier.
Just 113km – the first part of which will be ridden at something of a trundle – separate Froome from his crowning glory after 3,500km crossed over three weeks covering all sorts of varied French terrain.
American Lance Armstrong won seven titles in succession from 1999 but was erased from the winners’ list after admitting to doping.
But this year, although Contador abandoned, Froome was there and clinched his third title while Quintana was also in the race but could not match Bardet, who finished 4:05 off the pace, and had to settle for third place.
“I still need to get the yellow jersey to Paris [today] but the race is done and dusted”, Froome said.
As the race hit the fourth and final climb of the day, the break splintered with Jarlinson Pantano, 2014 Champion Vincenzo Nibali and Ion Izagirre riding clear.
Earlier in the stage, however, the Team Sky riders had seemed to favor beer – and Belgian Leffe beer, at that – for their in-saddle refreshments.
“I think it’s a course that suits me well”, he said of the battle against the clock. It’s the third time I lose against him but I’m still happy with our team showing on this Tour and the whole of the season.
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Mark Cavendish, the British sprinter who won four stages in this Tour, abandoned the race before the Alps.
