Feather in Froome’s cap

YOU can wait hours for a London bus and then two come within minutes. The Tour de France had 98 editions before a British winner and now the Brits have two in successive years.

Chris Froome could also claim to be the first African winner having been raised and introduced to cycling in Kenya, although it was Daryl Impey who was the first African to wear the yellow jersey, claiming it after the sixth stage.

Having dominated long-distance running events for decades it should be no surprise that Kenya has now left its mark on the ultimate endurance event.

Froome’s potential was remarkably spotted at the 2006 Commonwealth Games while representing Kenya in the individual time trial, road race and even the mountain biking!

Despite finally becoming eligible to ride for Great Britain in 2008 he still recognises his African roots with his bike carrying symbols taken from the Kenyan flag.

Froome’s ability and team support has been tested throughout this challenging three-week Tour and has shown cracks, notably when he lost two minutes when his team was exposed by strong cross-winds on stage 13, Contador’s Saxo-Tinkoff team created an echelon that delivered a 1-09 minute gain on Froome and a stage win for Mark Cavendish.

However, Froome’s Sky team has been decimated by bad luck resulting from accidents, viciously demonstrating the danger and arduous nature of this event.

The team responded by showing its courage, none more so than Geraint Thomas who rode with a fractured pelvis, even requiring help to mount his bike! To cover 3,404 miles, spending over 80 hours in the saddle over 21 days while in agony is remarkable.

The chinks in the team armour have come from their inability to protect Froome on the flatter stages, along with a reluctance to risk life and limb on treacherous descents, leading rival teams to question their bravery and bike-handling abilities. Yet, on each occasion, Froome responded to regain time, ultimately gaining and then containing a comfortable five minutes lead.

As in keeping with the modern Tour de France, illegal substance consumption has been a talking point. Indeed, Froome was penalised for an illegal intake, although it was for consuming a high-energy gel within the final five kilometres of the second climbing of Alpe D’Huez.

On the verge of a ‘bonk’ (when a rider loses his power as he has no energy), he asked his support rider, Richie Porte, to bring him some fuel-bars to provide the boost for the final climb and minimise any potential losses.

It’s ironic, although hardly unexpected, that this demonstration of human failure actually endeared him to skeptical followers of this most controversial of sports.

Several thought that the 20-second penalty Froome received was harsh given the extenuating circumstances, the team having experienced problems with their support vehicle when ice melted into the electrics of their Jaguar. However, Froome acknowledged that he had benefitted and refused to appeal.

Needless to say, his success has not come without constant allegations of doping, although his responses have been patient, polite and considered. Refreshingly, Sky’s team principal, Sir Dave Brailsford, has been pro-active in handling any accusations to the extent that he took the unprecedented step of providing access to Froome’s personal information and data to L’Equipe and other specialist journalists.

Following extensive analysis, respected sports scientist and the former French Cycling Federation’s advisor, Fred Grappe, concluded that the data was consistent with that of a drug-free rider.

Grappe commented that Sky’s leader has ‘an extraordinary aerobic potential close to the limits of known physiological science’ and a ‘certain reserve compared to other athletes… which converts to an additional 20 watts of power’.

Froome will have provided blood and urine samples over 30 times during the Tour alone. He has shown his strength in the mountains and the team and individual time-trials, proving he is the greatest all-round rider on the tour. Aged 28 he has many years ahead of him and with Wiggins five years older, his victory has laid to rest the argument as to which rider between him and Sir Wiggo should lead the team.

His most impressive ride was the iconic Bastille Day climb up the dreaded Mont Ventoux. With seven kilometres to ride, looking uncomfortable and gasping for air, he delivered an attack that defeated his closest overall rival, Alberto Contador. With one kilometre to ride and level with the Tom Simpson memorial, with impeccable timing he went again to crush Quintana to claim the win, becoming only the second man after Eddy Merckx to win this stage while wearing yellow.

He has claimed three individual stage victories although leaving the strong impression that he could have claimed more, preferring to preserve his energy to ensure overall victory and protect against attacks on future stages. However, it’s a reflection of the close bond within the Sky team that Froome claimed his trustworthy lieutenant, Richie Porte, is the ‘second best general classification rider in the race’.

In keeping with the mountainous nature of this celebratory centenary event, the other positions on the podium were actually claimed by specialist climbers, Joaquim Rodriguez and Nairo Quintana, the latter winning the prestigious King of the Mountains polka-dot jersey and white Young Rider. Peter Sagan claimed the green jersey for the second successive year.

The final stage was spent supping bubbly (although ‘the Little Cigar’, Rodriguez, was joined by Quintana, in trying to enjoy a cigar, yet with the high wind generated at 35mph the Colombian was unable to light his Cuban) leaving the sprinters to contest the floodlit finish on the Champs Elysees.

While Froome shimmered around Paris in his sequined yellow jersey, the script was set for another Brit, Manx-missile Mark Cavendish, to equal Merckx’s record of five final stage victories. However, it was more a passing of the baton to this year’s Tour sprinting sensation, Marcel Kittel, the German winning his fourth stage of the race.

As the sun came down on this centenary tour across the Paris skyline, it was left to Team Sky to celebrate amidst the fireworks, enjoying the moment by hanging off the back of the peleton, comfortable that the lost time would not impact the result. 

Froome, the man born in Nairobi, educated in Johannesburg and now racing for Britain, claimed the first of what could be several yellow jerseys.