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Froome Reasserts His Dominance in Tour De France Froome Re-Establishes Control, and a Young Rival Makes His Mark
(about 4 hours later)
VAISON-LA-ROMAINE, France — With a burst of power on the steep final slopes of the imposing Mont Ventoux, Chris Froome of Sky Procycling won the 15th stage of the Tour de France on Sunday, re-establishing the dominance that had been predicted for him before the Tour began — and that had come into some question just days ago. VAISON-LA-ROMAINE, France — With a burst of power on the steep final slopes of the imposing Mont Ventoux, Chris Froome won the 15th stage of the Tour de France on Sunday, re-establishing the dominance that had been predicted for him before the Tour — and that had come into question only days ago.
The race leader, Froome not only sprinted away from the young climbing sensation from Colombia, Nairo Quintana of Movistar, but also gained more than a minute and a half on his two closest rivals for the overall title, Bauke Mollema of Belkin ProCycling and Alberto Contador of Team Saxo-Tinkoff. Froome, the race’s leader, not only sprinted away from the young Colombian climbing sensation Nairo Quintana, but he also gained more than a minute and a half on his two closest rivals for the overall title, Bauke Mollema and Alberto Contador. “To win the way so many big names have won on this climb is really special to me,” Froome said, calling the stage victory the biggest of his career.
“To win the way so many big names have won on this climb is really special to me,” he said, calling the victory “the biggest” of his career. But cycling watchdogs have speculated that Froome’s stunning final acceleration suggested he might have used performance-enhancing drugs. Froome, of Team Sky, has rejected such suggestions before and did so again Sunday.
But the Internet almost immediately lighted up with speculation among cycling watchdogs that Froome’s stunning final acceleration suggested he might have used performance-enhancing drugs. Froome has rejected such suggestions before, and did so again on Sunday. Told after the race that some people were comparing him to Lance Armstrong, the American rider whose seven Tour titles were stripped from him last year after he admitted to doping, an unperturbed Froome smiled and said, “I’m only going to take that as a compliment.”
Told after the race that some people were comparing him to Lance Armstrong, the American rider whose seven Tour titles were stripped from him last year after a doping investigation, an unperturbed Froome smiled and said: “I’m only going to take that as a compliment.” The stage was a watershed for Quintana, 23, the Movistar rider who crossed the line 29 seconds behind Froome. Wearing the poker face that has become his signature look on lung-disabling climbs, Quintana burst away from the peloton with about 15 kilometers, or nine miles, to go and held the lead until Froome caught him with about six kilometers, or 3.73 miles, to go.
The stage was a watershed for Quintana, 23, who crossed the line 29 seconds behind Froome. Wearing the poker face that has become his signature look on lung-disabling climbs, Quintana burst away from the peloton with about 15 kilometers, or 9 miles, to go and held the lead until Froome caught him with about six kilometers to go. Yet even when Froome tried to pedal off, Quintana hung on to his wheel for several more miles, at times edging ahead, if only for a moment. At one point, Froome turned to Quintana to urge him on, and for a short while, the two worked together. But in the final two kilometers, Froome said he noticed Quintana was flagging and pulled away.
Yet even when Froome tried to pedal off, Quintana hung on to his wheel for several more miles, at times edging past him, if only for a moment. At one point, Froome turned to the younger rider to urge him on, and for a short while the two worked together. But in the final two kilometers, Froome said he noticed Quintana flagging and pulled away. “I honestly thought Quintana was going to win the stage today,” Froome said in a news conference. “I tried to distance him a couple of times and each time. he followed me relatively easily. I thought I’d have to surrender the stage to him.”
“I honestly thought Quintana was going to win the stage today,” Froome said in a postrace news conference. “I tried to distance him a couple of times and each time he followed me relatively easily. I thought I’d have to surrender the stage to him.” At the finish of the 242.5-kilometer (150.68-mile) stage, the longest of the Tour, Froome and Quintana were administered oxygen for several minutes. Froome said it was the first time he had needed to do that.
At the finish of the 242.5-kilometer stage, the longest of the tour, both Froome and Quintana were administered oxygen for several minutes. Froome said it was the first time he had needed to do that. The riders will rest Monday before entering the Alps for five days.
The riders will rest on Monday before entering the Alps for five days. Earlier in Sunday’s stage, a group of eight riders escaped from the pack, hoping that no one would bother to give chase. Among them was Peter Sagan, the Slovak sprinter from Cannondale, who pulled a wheelie for a television cameraman aboard a motorcycle when the peloton caught him on the lower slopes of Mont Ventoux.
Earlier in the stage, a group of eight riders escaped from the pack, hoping that no one would bother to give chase. Among them was Peter Sagan, the showboating sprinter from Cannondale, who pulled a wheelie for a television cameraman aboard a motorcycle when the peloton caught him on the lower slopes of Mont Ventoux. But as he has throughout the race, Sagan cagily used the break to win points toward the green jersey award for the race’s top sprinter. He holds a commanding lead over Mark Cavendish of Omega Pharma-Quick Step in the competition, with few opportunities left for the sprinters before the flat finish on Sunday in Paris.
But as he has throughout the race, Sagan cagily used the break to win points toward the green jersey award for sprinters. He holds a commanding lead over Mark Cavendish of Omega Pharma-Quick Step in the competition, with few opportunities left for the sprinters before the flat finish in Paris on Sunday. Quintana’s runner-up finish allowed him to reclaim the white jersey worn by the best young rider. With the Alps ahead, he seems a near lock to win that competition. He is sixth in the overall standings, 5 minutes 47 seconds behind Froome.
Quintana’s runner-up finish allowed him to reclaim the white jersey worn by the best young rider. With the Alps ahead, he seems a near lock to win that competition. He is sixth in the overall competition, 5 minutes 47 seconds behind Froome.
“He may be 23, but in his head, with his mental strength, he’s like a 30-year-old rider,” José Luis Arrieta, Movistar’s chief sport director at the Tour, said of Quintana in a recent interview. “He has the physique of someone his age, but a savvy that’s beyond it.”“He may be 23, but in his head, with his mental strength, he’s like a 30-year-old rider,” José Luis Arrieta, Movistar’s chief sport director at the Tour, said of Quintana in a recent interview. “He has the physique of someone his age, but a savvy that’s beyond it.”
Optimal power-to-weight ratios are crucial for climbers, and Quintana’s appear to be excellent: Listed at 1.66 meters, or 5-foot-5, the Colombian looks tiny next to the 1.85-meter Froome. But he seems able to power effortlessly up big climbs, a skill honed during childhood rides in the Andes. His hometown, Tunja, is at an altitude of more than 2,800 meters, or nearly 10,000 feet. Optimal power-to-weight ratios are crucial for climbers, and Quintana’s appear to be excellent: listed at 1.66 meters, or 5 feet 5 inches, the Colombian looks tiny next to the 6-1 Froome. But he seems able to power effortlessly up big climbs, a skill honed during childhood rides in the Andes. His hometown, Tunja, is at an altitude of nearly 10,000 feet.
Now that his team leader, Alejandro Valverde, has fallen to 15th place, 14:42 back, Quintana will be able to ride the final mountain stages unfettered by team responsibilities. Now that Movistar’s team leader, Alejandro Valverde, has fallen to 15th place, 14:42 back, Quintana will be able to ride the final mountain stages unfettered by team responsibilities.
“There’s no pressure on him,” Arrieta said. “If he does a great Tour, that’s good. If he has a bad day or two, that’s going to be O.K. He’s just here to understand a bit about the race and the tension that comes with riding the Tour. Anything else is extra.” Arrieta said: “There’s no pressure on him. If he does a great Tour, that’s good. If he has a bad day or two, that’s going to be O.K. He’s just here to understand a bit about the race and the tension that comes with riding the Tour. Anything else is extra.”
Jon Brand contributed reporting.

Jon Brand contributed reporting.