Whether it’s climbing, time trialling, descending or sprinting — nobody comes close to competing with the three-time yellow jersey
As Chris Froome rolled over the finish line in Morzine last Saturday evening in a rainsodden yellow jersey, a small smile appeared on his face. There was no arms in the air celebration, just a slight grin to signal that a historic third Tour de France victory was about to be his.
It was a smile of relief, not elation. A celebration as understated and controlled as the man behind it.
A day later he dropped back at the finish on the Champs-Elysées to roll over the line arm-in-arm with his Sky team-mates, just as he did when he won the Tour 12 months earlier. Froome’s strength and moments of individual brilliance may have secured him thevictory, but it was his team that had prevented any of his rivals even thinking about coming anywhere near him.
The Tour had been billed as a race for climbers, with nine mountain stages and four summit finishes crammed into its 21 days. Race director Christian Prudhomme had littered the final week with brand new or barely known climbs — the Grand Colombier on stage 15, the finish in Finhaut-Emosson on stage 17 and stage 19’s Montée de Bisanne — packed into short routes that hinted towards a GC showdown in the Alps.
Denne historien er fra July 28 2016-utgaven av CYCLING WEEKLY.
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Denne historien er fra July 28 2016-utgaven av CYCLING WEEKLY.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
CLASSIC BIKE - JOHNNY BERRY
Johnny be good at making beautiful lightweight bikes
UK SCENE - WUNDERKIND HUDSON WINS YORKSHIRE CX
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The man himself - subject of this special issue - explains the key performance changes behind his record-breaking year
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Tadej Pocačar's performance is out of reach but you can adapt his training to raise your game. Chris Marshall-Bell consults the experts to find out how
Why do modern aero bikes look less aero?
Are today's aero bikes really faster, or is marketing just getting better? Joe Baker investigates...
REVIEW OF THE YEAR
An Olympic year is always special and the cycling season once again delivered a year of highs and lows, from Pogi's triple to Katie Archibald's pre-Olympic trip
MEET THE PARENTS
What made Tadej Pogačar the phenomenon he is today? Chris Marshall-Bell went to Slovenia to meet his mum and dad, Mirko and Marjeta
HALF MAN HALF GOAT
Tadej Pogačar may have had a phenomenal season, but has he done enough to cement his status as the greatest of all time? Chris Marshall-Bell weighs the arguments for and against
Lefevere cashes in his chips and leaves cycling management
The news that Patrick Lefevere will step down as Quick Step boss marks the end of an era, after 22 years in charge
Mathieu van der Poel weighs up skipping Tour de France
Dutchman hints at missing Tour in favour of mtb Worlds bid, reports Tom Thewlis from Dénia, Spain
