Sir Dave Brailsford says Chris Froome will race next month’s Vuelta a Espana if he gets through the Olympic Games unscathed.
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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.
Froome, already Britain’s only multiple-Tour victor, is now one of just eight men – not counting the disgraced Lance Armstrong -to have won three or more Tours, and will have his sights set on record five-time winners Jacques Anquetil, Miguel Indurain, Bernard Hinault and Eddy Merckx.
In an emotional victory speech, Froome paid tribute to those that were killed in the recent terror attacks in Nice.
“Thanks for your kindness in these hard times”. Sky rarely if ever featured in an escape during the race, instead opting to deploy its arsenal around Froome, who rode more offensively at the beginning of the Tour.
Allegations of performance-enhancing drug use have been flung at Froome and Team Sky during the British outfit’s continued dominance of the prestigious Grand Tour event, but Wiggins feels the apparent resentment toward the relative newcomers has softened in 2016.
Another Briton Mark Cavendish came out the most profiled rider with four stages victories, while the 23-year-old Adam Yates finished the fourth and won the young rider’s white jersey competition. But a crash on the first stage did affect him in the early weeks, but when the Tour entered the Alps Thomas along with Wout Poels and Sergio Henao all made sure Froome didn’t lose any meaningful time to his rivals. The team kept believing in me. “I hope I can do that next year”, Froome said.
“It’s a strong sign that life goes on”, Froome said, giving credit to organisers for ensuring the race went ahead. “I took bronze in London in the last Olympics and it would be incredible to win a medal again this year”, he said, referring to the time trial.
Vincenzo Nibali, Tour winner in 2014 and victor in this year’s Giro d’Italia, was playing support to his fellow Italian Fabio Aru but the Astana rider was unable to keep pace in the mountains and lost further time in the two individual time trials.
Speaking after crossing the line on the Champs-Elysees arm in arm with his Team Sky colleagues at the end of the three-week race, Froome said: “My son Kellan: this victory is for you”.
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The Bastille Day stage to the “Giant of Provence” was created to be the highlight of this Tour, but gale-force winds at the summit compelled organisers to move the finish line midway down the mountain to Chalet Reynard at short notice.
