PARIS -- Chris Froome won his second Tour de France in three years on Sunday, capping a three-week grind of furious racing with a leisurely ride into Paris.
Froome gave Britain its third victory in the 112-year-old race, finishing in the rain amid cheers on the Champs-Elysees, and promised in his winner's speech never to dishonor the yellow jersey, a reference to the doping scandals that forced Lance Armstrong, and many others, to forfeit victories and high placings.
"The Maillot Jaune is special, very special," he said, using the jersey's French name. "I understand its history, good and bad. I will always respect it."
Froome was able to coast on Sunday after thwarting a late assault Saturday by Colombian Nairo Quintana on the final Alpine ascent.
Quintana was also the runner-up when Froome won in 2013. The final margin -- 1 minute, 12 seconds -- was the closest since 2008.
Third-place finisher Alejandro Valverde, Quintana's Movistar teammate from Spain, made the podium for the first time, moving up from fourth last year.
To minimize risk of crashes in the rain, Tour organizers stopped the clock early, on the first of 10 laps up and down the Champs-Elysees' slick cobblestones.
That locked in Froome's lead to guarantee victory. He smiled broadly as he pedaled past flag-waving spectators. He still had to ride the 10 laps to complete the full race distance of 2,088 miles.
He didn't panic when a paper bag got stuck in his back wheel knowing the title was his. He simply stopped and changed bikes. He also had time to raise a glass of champagne in the saddle and stop to put on a raincoat under the yellow jersey.
Sprinters dashed ahead for the stage victory -- snatched by Andre Greipel, his fourth and Germany's sixth at this Tour -- Froome and his teammates, wearing yellow stripes on their shorts and helmets, linked together, arms over each other's shoulders, and pedaled slowly over the line.
"This is your yellow jersey as much as it is mine," Froome said.
Pre-Tour talk focused on a possible four-way battle between Froome, Quintana, 2014 champion Vincenzo Nibali and two-time winner Alberto Contador, but it was Quintna, a 25-year-old Colombian, who again won the Tour's white jersey as the best young rider and gave Froome a run for his $494,000 first-place prize money.
"He's a great rival," Quintana said of Froome. "He suffered a lot to win."
Quintana might have posed a bigger threat and perhaps come closer to becoming the first Colombian winner if not for a first week during which he lost too much time.
This Tour was mountain-heavy, suiting Quintana's climbing strengths. Future Tours could have more time trials, which Froome excels at. Quintana has age on his side in his developing rivalry against Froome, 30.
"I have lots of years ahead of me," Quintana said.
Quintana took more time off Froome on the Tour's high mountain climbs than the other way around.
Yet the Colombian didn't have to contend with the scrutiny, in the form of thinly-veiled suggestions of doping that Froome was forced to respond to on an almost daily basis, mostly with patience but also with a touch of bristle as the race wore on.
It's no longer a stretch to imagine Froome joining the elite group of seven riders who won three Tours or more.
Froome said he would like to keep competing "as long as my body will allow me." His aim is at least another six years.
"I love the sacrifices, the training, the hard work. That's what gets me out of bed in the mornings. I'm not trying to do it for a specific amount of Tour titles or fame," he said after sealing his victory in the Alps. "I love riding my bike. I love pushing my body to the limit. I love the freedom that cycling gives you."
Sports on 07/27/2015