Froome Takes Third Tour de France
July 27, 2016
On Sunday, July 24, British cyclist Chris Froome raced to his third Tour de France victory in the last four years. The 31-year-old Froome, who previously won in 2013 and 2015, established a comfortable 4-minute lead over the race’s grueling first 20 stages and 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers). Wearing the leader’s distinctive yellow jersey, Froome coasted through the largely ceremonial 21st and final stage, finishing on the famous Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris arm-in-arm with other members of his Team Sky. As Froome accepted the winner’s trophy, he reflected on the terrorist attack that took place 10 days earlier in Nice, France, as the cyclists competed roughly 175 miles (280 kilometers) away. “This Tour has obviously taken place against the backdrop of terrible events in Nice and we pay tribute to those who have lost their lives,” he said. “These events put sport into perspective but it also shows the value of sport to free society.”
British cyclist Chris Froome (wearing the leader’s yellow jersey) and Peter Sagan of Slovakia (in green) ride with the pack down the Champs-Élysées in the final stage of the Tour de France. Credit: © Christophe Ena, AP Photo
Froome, a veteran racer, stayed near the front during the tour’s first week before snatching the lead in stage 8 at Bagnères-de-Luchon on the Spanish border. On Bastille Day, July 14 (the day of the Nice attack), Froome crashed ascending Mont Ventoux in Provence, disabling his bicycle. Losing time, he trotted up the course on foot until the arrival of a replacement bike. In the Swiss Alps, Froome pulled away from the pack, padding his lead despite another crash coming down the mountains on stage 19. Two days later, he completed his second straight Tour de France victory. Only two rest days are included over the course of the three-week endurance event.
French cyclist Romain Bardet finished second in the race, followed closely by Colombia’s Nairo Quintana and the United Kingdom’s Adam Yates. Aside from the race winner’s maillot jaune (yellow jersey), the maillot blanc (white jersey) signifies the race’s best young rider (worn by Yates); the best climber in the tough mountain stages wears the maillot à pois rouges (polka dot jersey); and the maillot vert (green jersey) marks the overall leader in points (awarded for consistently high stage finishes). This year, the climbing “King of the Mountain” was Rafal Majka of Poland, while Slovakia’s Peter Sagan won the green jersey. The Tour de France is one of three major touring races of cycling; the others are the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España.
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