The race organisation of the Tour de France put an end to the fight for the overall classification early on stage 21, calling for a neutralisation of the riders' time for GC at the entry to the finishing circuits with 70 kilometers to go due to wet weather and slippery pavement.
They needed only finish the 109.5km stage for Chris Froome of Team Sky to claim his second career Tour de France victory by 1:12 over Nairo Quintana and 5:25 on Alejandro Valverde, both of Movistar.
The rules specify under article 20b 'Specific provisions' that the jury can decide to take the final time on GC early: "if the road surface of the Champs-Élysées has become slippery before the riders reach it, then the times may be taken for the first crossing of the finish line".
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"Of course I want to start off by thanking my teammates," Froome said. "Without you guys I would not be standing up here. Richie, Wout, Ian, G, Pete, Luke, Nico and Leo. My utmost respect and gratitude. This is your yellow jersey as much as it is mine."
Team Sky principal Sir David Brailsford chalked up the win to a flawless execution of strategy by the entire team. Although they lost Peter Kennaugh to illness on stage 16, just about everything else went to plan. "I think tactically and from a team perspective it's the best Tour we've ridden," Brailsford said. "The guys didn't put a foot wrong and then of course Chris finished it off. So it's very satisfying from that point of view.
"I've been doing this for 15 or 16 years now and we've won a lot of Olympic medals. We've used that same methodology to come to Sky and create Team Sky - and the same methodology has worked again."
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