Chris Froome (Team Sky) is one stage away from a second Tour de France victory despite conceding 1:28 to Nairo Quintana on stage 20's summit finish on Alpe d’Huez, who he now leads the general classification by 1:12. Sunday’s 109.5km procession into Paris is all that is left for Froome to negotiate before officially being presented on the podium in the yellow jersey.
Froome will become the 13th double winner in the history of the race alongside the likes of Laurent Fignon, Fausto Coppi, Gino Bartali and Alberto Contador, having also won the 2013 edition of the race ahead of Quintana.
“What can I say, it’s an amazing, amazing feeling to still be here in yellow this evening, we have to get to Paris tomorrow with no issues, but from the racing side of things, that’s done now,” Froome said during his post-stage press conference with a hint of emotion in his voice. “We faced all challenges over almost three weeks of racing. Massive thanks to teammates for the work they’ve put in over the last few weeks. I think of little points along the way, chipping away getting yellow and the final advantage I have to day, it’s them I have to thank for this position.
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“To win the Tour once was a dream, to come back and do it a second time is more than I ever could imagine.”
An aggressive fourth and final day of racing in the Alps was initiated by Movistar, that started the day with Quintana and Alejandro Valverde in second and third place overall with the ambition of claiming yellow by day's end. The attacks on Froome’s yellow jersey from Movistar started on the Col de la Croix de Fer, isolating the Sky rider before his teammates re-joined the 30-year-old on the valley road on the run in to the 13.8km ascent of the iconic Alpe d'Huez.
Froome was unable to respond to a battery of attacks by Quintana on the 21-hairpin climb, explaining that he preferred to ride at his own tempo than dipping into the red zone and risk losing his yellow jersey on the final climb of the race.
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