Chris Froome wore the yellow jersey for 16 days in all at this year’s Tour de France, first taking it courtesy of his second place on the Mur de Huy on stage three and then claiming it back after Tony Martin abandoned before stage seven.
Since that point Froome held the jersey through to the final podium in Paris, but after looking like he would run away with it when he blasted to victory on La Pierre-Saint-Martin, the 30-year-old did see his lead at the top cut.
Froome had to dig deep in the Alps as Nairo Quintana cut into his overall advantage, doing enough to ensure a final winning margin of 72 seconds.
As in 2013, Quintana – also the best young rider – finished second, claiming after the race it was not on La Pierre-Saint-Martin he had lost the yellow jersey, but in the first week.
On stage two, the first road stage, Froome had put time into his GC rivals as the race split up in the crosswinds en route to Zeeland, and had earned more seconds on stage three, atop the Mur de Huy.
La Pierre-Saint-Martin, on Bastille Day, had put the icing on the cake of a fine first half of the race, meaning his rivals had too much to do – despite pushing hard – in the final week.
Alejandro Valverde claimed the final podium place, joining team-mate Quintana after Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing) had to abandon with illness having been third overall at the time.
Defending champion Vincenzo Nibali, meanwhile, paid for a slow start to the race – his stage 19 victory not enough to make up for those below-par performances as he missed out on the podium by more than three minutes.
“The maillot jaune is special, very special,” Froome said on the Paris podium. “I understand its history, good and bad. I will always respect it. Never dishonour it, and I will always be proud to have won it.”
Tour de France 2015: final general classification
1) Chris Froome (GBR) – Team Sky – 84.46.14hrs
2) Nairo Quintana (COL) – Movistar +1.12
3) Alejandro Valverde (ESP) – Movistar +5.25
4) Vincenzo Nibali (ITA) – Astana +8.36
5) Alberto Conador (ESP) – Tinkoff-Saxo +9.48
6) Robert Gesink (NED) – LottoNL-Jumbo +10.47
7) Bauke Mollema (NED) – Trek Factory Racing +15.14
8) Mathias Frank (SUI) – IAM Cycling +15.39
9) Romain Bardet (FRA) – Ag2r-La Mondiale +16.00
10) Pierre Rolland (FRA) – Team Europcar +17.30
