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| Froome Is One Stage Away From Tour Victory | Froome Is One Stage Away From Tour Victory |
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| ANNECY-SEMNOZ, France — On the next-to-last stage of the Tour de France on Saturday, Chris Froome of Sky Procycling maintained a commanding lead over his challengers, all but assuring that he would win the 100th Tour when it finishes in Paris on Sunday. He would become the second British rider in succession, and the second one ever, to win cycling’s premier race. | ANNECY-SEMNOZ, France — On the next-to-last stage of the Tour de France on Saturday, Chris Froome of Sky Procycling maintained a commanding lead over his challengers, all but assuring that he would win the 100th Tour when it finishes in Paris on Sunday. He would become the second British rider in succession, and the second one ever, to win cycling’s premier race. |
| Froome was third on the mountaintop finish in this ski resort, retaining a lead of 5 minutes 3 seconds over Nairo Quintana of Movistar, who won the 125-kilometer stage (about 78 miles) and moved into second place past Alberto Contador of Saxo-Tinkoff, who dropped into fourth. | Froome was third on the mountaintop finish in this ski resort, retaining a lead of 5 minutes 3 seconds over Nairo Quintana of Movistar, who won the 125-kilometer stage (about 78 miles) and moved into second place past Alberto Contador of Saxo-Tinkoff, who dropped into fourth. |
| The stage confirmed the dominance Froome has maintained in professional cycling all year, when he won all but one of the stage races he entered and three stages at this Tour. This would be his first Grand Tour victory. | The stage confirmed the dominance Froome has maintained in professional cycling all year, when he won all but one of the stage races he entered and three stages at this Tour. This would be his first Grand Tour victory. |
| In a news conference, Froome, 28, described the way he felt as Quintana was pulling away in the final miles of the stage and his own legs were going rubbery. He was overtaken by a sense of elation, and relief, that victory would at last be his. | In a news conference, Froome, 28, described the way he felt as Quintana was pulling away in the final miles of the stage and his own legs were going rubbery. He was overtaken by a sense of elation, and relief, that victory would at last be his. |
| “I’ve actually done this, I’m in yellow, this is the last day of g.c. and nobody is going to take it away from me,” he recalled thinking, referring to the general classification, the group of contenders for the overall victory. “It was a very emotional feeling.” | “I’ve actually done this, I’m in yellow, this is the last day of g.c. and nobody is going to take it away from me,” he recalled thinking, referring to the general classification, the group of contenders for the overall victory. “It was a very emotional feeling.” |
| In winning his first stage of the Tour, Quintana impressively pedaled away from Froome and Joaquim Rodríguez of Katusha, two of the best climbers in the sport. In doing so, he assured himself of winning not only the white jersey for best young rider, but also the polka dot jersey for best climber. Rodríguez should finish the tour in third place. | In winning his first stage of the Tour, Quintana impressively pedaled away from Froome and Joaquim Rodríguez of Katusha, two of the best climbers in the sport. In doing so, he assured himself of winning not only the white jersey for best young rider, but also the polka dot jersey for best climber. Rodríguez should finish the tour in third place. |
| Quintana, a 23-year-old Colombian who turned professional last year, was one of the revelations of this Tour, and his one-on-one battles against Froome in the mountains will be among its enduring images. After the race, Quintana dabbed tears from his eyes as he spoke to reporters. | Quintana, a 23-year-old Colombian who turned professional last year, was one of the revelations of this Tour, and his one-on-one battles against Froome in the mountains will be among its enduring images. After the race, Quintana dabbed tears from his eyes as he spoke to reporters. |
| “I never imagined for a second that I could be in the situation I am in today,” he said. | “I never imagined for a second that I could be in the situation I am in today,” he said. |
| Froome was born and reared in Kenya, learning to ride in the hills around Nairobi, then racing while attending school in South Africa. After performing well in African races, he quit college to accept an offer to ride with a small team in Europe. The next year, 2008, he turned professional, and he rode his first Tour de France in 2009. | Froome was born and reared in Kenya, learning to ride in the hills around Nairobi, then racing while attending school in South Africa. After performing well in African races, he quit college to accept an offer to ride with a small team in Europe. The next year, 2008, he turned professional, and he rode his first Tour de France in 2009. |
| His ascent was slowed in part by a battle with bilharzia, a parasitic infection he contracted during a trip to Africa. The parasite remains in his system, causing abdominal pain and diarrhea when it flares and requiring him to take medication periodically. Froome said that he was not taking the medicine during this Tour. | His ascent was slowed in part by a battle with bilharzia, a parasitic infection he contracted during a trip to Africa. The parasite remains in his system, causing abdominal pain and diarrhea when it flares and requiring him to take medication periodically. Froome said that he was not taking the medicine during this Tour. |
| A second-place finish in the 2011 Vuelta a Espana confirmed that he was a contender — to the cycling world and to himself. | A second-place finish in the 2011 Vuelta a Espana confirmed that he was a contender — to the cycling world and to himself. |
| “That gave me a lot of confidence and belief in myself that actually I do belong in this group of riders at the front,” Froome said. He also finished second in last year’s Tour, behind his teammate Bradley Wiggins. | “That gave me a lot of confidence and belief in myself that actually I do belong in this group of riders at the front,” Froome said. He also finished second in last year’s Tour, behind his teammate Bradley Wiggins. |
| A British citizen, Froome spoke warmly of Africa on Saturday, saying he hoped his performance would inspire young African riders and describing the happiness he felt when customs agents in Kenya recognized him. | A British citizen, Froome spoke warmly of Africa on Saturday, saying he hoped his performance would inspire young African riders and describing the happiness he felt when customs agents in Kenya recognized him. |
| Froome first put his stamp on this Tour in Stage 8, when he accelerated away from Contador and then Quintana on the finish of Ax 3 Domaines in the Pyrenees. He did the same in Stage 15 on Mont Ventoux, a bruising 13-mile climb. | Froome first put his stamp on this Tour in Stage 8, when he accelerated away from Contador and then Quintana on the finish of Ax 3 Domaines in the Pyrenees. He did the same in Stage 15 on Mont Ventoux, a bruising 13-mile climb. |
| Froome was equally impressive in the individual time trials, finishing second by 12 seconds to the world champion time trialer, Tony Martin of Omega Pharma-Quick Step, then winning a shorter mountain trial on Stage 17. | Froome was equally impressive in the individual time trials, finishing second by 12 seconds to the world champion time trialer, Tony Martin of Omega Pharma-Quick Step, then winning a shorter mountain trial on Stage 17. |
| Tall and gangly, Froome is not a thing of beauty on the bike. His long arms flap and his face frequently contorts with effort. Yet he has proved to be more durable, and usually more powerful, than his more stony-faced rivals. | Tall and gangly, Froome is not a thing of beauty on the bike. His long arms flap and his face frequently contorts with effort. Yet he has proved to be more durable, and usually more powerful, than his more stony-faced rivals. |
| “He isn’t a stylish and smooth rider like other Tour winners,” said Jonathan Vaughters, chief executive of Slipstream Sports, which owns the Garmin-Sharp team. | “He isn’t a stylish and smooth rider like other Tour winners,” said Jonathan Vaughters, chief executive of Slipstream Sports, which owns the Garmin-Sharp team. |
| “But that’s sort of the same with the Kenyan marathoners. They don’t always look efficient. But they are.” | “But that’s sort of the same with the Kenyan marathoners. They don’t always look efficient. But they are.” |
| If he has a vulnerability, other riders say, it lies in his bike handling in crowds and on descents. He nearly crashed into Contador during a tricky descent into Gap on Stage 16. But during a possibly worse downhill between dual ascents of Alpe d’Huez on Stage 18, his team kept him safe near the front of the peloton. | If he has a vulnerability, other riders say, it lies in his bike handling in crowds and on descents. He nearly crashed into Contador during a tricky descent into Gap on Stage 16. But during a possibly worse downhill between dual ascents of Alpe d’Huez on Stage 18, his team kept him safe near the front of the peloton. |
| Because the Tour is so arduous and long — 2,115 miles over 21 stages — holding the leader’s yellow jersey into Paris requires not just winning stages, but also doing well enough everywhere else. Froome showed that ability on Stage 9. He showed it again on Alpe d’Huez on Stage 18, where he struggled with low blood sugar a few miles from the finish. Each time, he stayed close to the front. Froome called Alpe d’Huez his toughest moment of the race. | |
| “It’s a horrible feeling,” he said. “If you’ve ridden a bike or done any kind of endurance sport, you know the feeling I’m talking about, when you have no energy left, no more fuel in your body.” | “It’s a horrible feeling,” he said. “If you’ve ridden a bike or done any kind of endurance sport, you know the feeling I’m talking about, when you have no energy left, no more fuel in your body.” |
| His dominance of this race caused some antidoping watchdogs to raise the possibility that he might be using performance-enhancing substances. Froome has repeatedly denied the suggestion, but the questions persisted throughout the Tour. | His dominance of this race caused some antidoping watchdogs to raise the possibility that he might be using performance-enhancing substances. Froome has repeatedly denied the suggestion, but the questions persisted throughout the Tour. |
| In an attempt to quiet those questions, Sky released drug test results and power output measurements from several of Froome’s races in recent years to a French sports newspaper and a sports scientist. They concluded that Froome’s performances were possible for an athlete who was not doping. | In an attempt to quiet those questions, Sky released drug test results and power output measurements from several of Froome’s races in recent years to a French sports newspaper and a sports scientist. They concluded that Froome’s performances were possible for an athlete who was not doping. |
| Froome has handled those questions with the same demeanor he has shown on the road. Soft-spoken and thoughtful in news conferences, he is not one to show the bravado of a Lance Armstrong or the bluntness of a Wiggins. | Froome has handled those questions with the same demeanor he has shown on the road. Soft-spoken and thoughtful in news conferences, he is not one to show the bravado of a Lance Armstrong or the bluntness of a Wiggins. |
| In Saturday’s news conference, for example, Froome said he considered it “completely understandable” that people question whoever is wearing the yellow jersey. | In Saturday’s news conference, for example, Froome said he considered it “completely understandable” that people question whoever is wearing the yellow jersey. |
| “I’m also one of those guys who’s been let down by the sport,” he said. “I just hope that by winning this year’s Tour, I’ll be able to change that. I know it will take a lot more time.” | “I’m also one of those guys who’s been let down by the sport,” he said. “I just hope that by winning this year’s Tour, I’ll be able to change that. I know it will take a lot more time.” |
| Barring injury or illness, Froome will probably return next year as the favorite, and he made clear that he believed he had many good years to go. “Each year I’ve taken so much away and learned so much,” he said. “I just refuse to accept that I don’t have improvements to make.” | Barring injury or illness, Froome will probably return next year as the favorite, and he made clear that he believed he had many good years to go. “Each year I’ve taken so much away and learned so much,” he said. “I just refuse to accept that I don’t have improvements to make.” |
| But Quintana, for one, will have something to say about that. “If we look at what happened today, it’s true I am full of hope,” he said. “I think maybe in 2015, we will try to win the Tour de France.” | But Quintana, for one, will have something to say about that. “If we look at what happened today, it’s true I am full of hope,” he said. “I think maybe in 2015, we will try to win the Tour de France.” |