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.
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
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
"We tore around the Sydney suburbs at 60kph in a terrifying, feral pack"
Fast, furious and furry tales from Australia
RIDDEN AND REVIEWED BROMPTON G LINE £2,499
A Brompton for running riot in both town and country
How do different gravel conditions impact your tyre choice?
There are a myriad of tyres on the market but selecting the right one is easier than you think
FEAST OF SWEDEN
Soon after landing in Gothenburg, I began to realise how little I knew about Sweden.
THE WORLD'S GREATEST GRAVEL EVENTS
Globe-trotting gravel racer Joe Laverick chooses his eight favourite events, from coastal Wales to the wilds of Kenya
THE CALL OF THE WILD
Tempted to embark on a long-distance bike adventure? Let former round-the-world record holder and author Julian Sayarer inspire you to strike out and hit the road
Saint Piran accused of using non-UCI legal bikes
Cornish team also alleged to owe former staff tens of thousands of pounds
JOE LAVERICK GETTING INTO THE FEED ZONE
I've ridden through hundreds of feed zones in my time racing a bike.
Lowden not ready to stop after retirement
Former Hour record holder eyes UK time trial scene
Pogačar makes history (again) at Lombardia
Slovenian makes it four in a row at the late-season Italian Monument
