Opposition caught napping
The bulk of Chris Froome’s time gain came against the watch but the two key attacks he made were at the top of the Peyresourde and on the stage into Montpellier. They were particularly important because of what they expressed rather than the time he gained, which was minimal in both cases. In both instances, over the top of the last climb of the day and at the end of a tough stage in cross winds, most general classification contenders would be content to sit back with the bulk of the day’s work done. But seizing the initiative as Froome did sent out a powerful message: he would take time wherever he could no matter how small the potential gain. It also underlined that physically he was in good shape at both these moments rather than merely hanging on.
Team was impeccable
The mountain power work by Waut Poels, Mikel Nieve, Mikel Landa and Sergio Henao was highly visible, a matter of hiring five of the best climbers in cycling and then making best use of them to intimidate the opposition. The work by Ian Stannard and Luke Rowe on the stage to Montpellier was less visible but just as important as this was a stage where Nairo Quintana suffered. But Geraint Thomas was most valuable, partly for his ability to seize the moment on the road to Montpellier, when Froome absolutely needed that fourth rider with him, Bodnar and Sagan to keep them clear of the peloton, and also for the coolness he showed when Froome fell on the Saint Gervais stage. The Welshman’s all-round ability is exceptional, meaning he can fill the role of fifth climber if needed as well as the Classics rider’s role of providing shelter when the wind blows.
Key names went missing
With an in-form Alberto Contador, Vincenzo Nibali and Thibaut Pinot racing for the win and Richie Porte closer in the standings, the past three weeks might have been a very different proposition. That is not to say Froome would not have won, more that he might have been pushed harder and that Team Sky might not have been so dominant. For all that, Contador has had a tendency to fall off in recent seasons, Nibali, the Italian, made a conscious decision to go for the Giro d’Italia rather than the Tour and Pinot’s self-destruction was as much down to coaching weaknesses as ill‑luck. Riders make their own good fortune at the Tour and it is no coincidence that multiple Tour winners do not have many things go wrong. There is one mystery, however: quite why Nairo Quintana, the Colombian, did not come in better form and shine on a mountainous course.
The other man in form had a nightmare
Richie Porte, left, was probably the strongest climber in the Tour but his misfortunes and miscalculations played into Froome’s hands. His puncture at Cherbourg meant that from day two Froome knew that probably the second biggest threat in the race – after Quintana – was already on the back foot. In spite of its epic budget, BMC do not field the same climbing firepower that Sky do and it is hard to see Sky giving one of their strongest riders carte blanche to burn energy for two days as BMC did with Greg Van Avermaet. That showed split priorities. Tejay van Garderen should have acted as a second foil to the Australian but was not in form. Porte rode strongly at Mont Ventoux but he probably took the most impact in the three-man collision with the motorbike; that probably impacted on his ride in the time trial the following day where he lost 2min 5sec, to all intents ending his chance of victory. Porte started too fast in that time trial, and also in the Megève test, which looked like nerves getting the better of him. And he crashed on the Saint Gervais stage, which again may have meant he was unable to take full advantage of Froome’s crash.
Incumbency is a massive plus
Past multiple winners such as Greg LeMond (three victories), Lance Armstrong (seven), Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain (both five), and their respective teams began to take on an impregnable air once they reached their third Tour wins – and that applies in spite of the fact that Armstrong and his team were blood doping. There are good reasons for this. For one, the opposition are intimidated – they are almost conditioned to expect to be beaten. Mainly experience matters immensely in winning the Tour, both for team leader and for domestiques. It means they are more relaxed faced with whatever the road throws at them, and the day-to-day tasks related to controlling the race become normalised – dealing with the media, figuring out whom to let into each day’s escape, making the pace in the mountains. Winning is a habit.
