Tour de France 2013: Chris Froome's Paris glory – in pictures

British fans wait for Chris Froome at the Arc de Triomphe. Not quite the reception Bradley Wiggins got in 2012, but it's still an amazing achievement in one of the most demanding sports in the world
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Firemen making the best use of their engine: a better vantage point
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Chris Froome sails along in the midst of the peloton during one of the early laps of the Champs-Élysées
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Froome is guarded by his Sky team-mates. Despite the jollity of the earlier parts of the stage, as soon as the race hits Paris, it's back on as the sprinters vie for supremacy. The pace was so high Liewe Westra was sadly dropped and had to abandon, mere kilometres from the finish
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

The peloton racing up the Champs-Élysées – the much-touted floodlighting seemingly failed to appear
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

The sun sets on Paris and the Tour de France peloton for the first time in the race's 100-year history
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Mark Cavendish of Great Britain loses to Marcel Kittel – breaking his three-year winning streak on the Champs-Élysées
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Froome is overwhelmed as Team Sky cross the line 40 seconds behind the main field, taking a small chunk out of his five-minute lead in the process. As the stage was held at night, the winner was denied his lap of honour. Sky decided it was 40 seconds worth spending
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Froome and team-mate Geraint Thomas pose for the cameras after crossing the finish line. Finishing the Tour was an amazing feat for Thomas, who suffered a hairline fracture of the pelvis in the early stages, and who many believed wouldn't make it to Paris
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

The organisers took advantage of the darkness to project a light show on to the Arc de Triomphe. Here it is bathed in a yellow glow in honour of Froome
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

And here he is on the top step, clutching his 14th stuffed lion of the Tour
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Froome gives his speech, with second- and third-place finishers Nairo Quintana and Joaquim Rodríguez. Froome dedicated his victory to his mother, who passed away in 2008, and assured the spectators that 'this is a yellow jersey that will stand the test of time' Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian