Mountain master Froome wins Tour

[caption id="attachment_93436" align="alignright" width="300"] TEAM EFFORT: Briton Chris Froome of Team Sky, centre, celebrates overall victory with teammate Geraint Thomas, left, after the 21st stage of the Tour de France yesterday Picture: GETTY IMAGES[/caption]

BRITON Chris Froome won his second Tour de France title in three years yesterday, enhancing his growing reputation as a grand tour specialist.

It was Team Sky’s third Tour triumph in four years after Bradley Wiggins prevailed in 2012 before Froome succeeded him in 2013.

The 30-year-old, a late bloomer who surged into the limelight when he took second place in the 2011 Tour of Spain, beat Colombian Nairo Quintana by 1 minute 12 seconds and his Movistar teammate, Alejandro Valverde of Spain, by 5:25.

“Le Maillot Jaune [the yellow jersey], I know its history both good or bad. I will honour this jersey and what it stands for,” Froome, who was roughed up by spectators after an intimidating performance on the first mountain stage, said.

The leading trio stayed safe in yesterday’s finale on the Champs Elysees, where German Andre Greipel confirmed he was the fastest by overpowering the rest of the field to take the 21st stage, his fourth this year.

Frenchman Bryan Coquard was second and Norway’s Alexander Kristoff took third place.

Quintana won the white jersey for the best under-25 rider for the second time after 2013, and Froome won the yellow jersey and the polka-dot jersey for the mountains classification. – Reuters