Froome In Class Of One With Fourth Tour Victory

Brit sits pretty in the Tour record books

- Vern Pitt

Not even the round of boos that greeted Chris Froome at the Marseille Orange Velodrome as he charged to the line, mere metres from French hope Romain Bardet’s back wheel, could wipe the smile off his face.

Froome has cut a cautious figure in the three weeks since the Tour de France’s start in Düsseldorf, but on Saturday, with his fourth yellow jersey secured, he could finally take some pleasure in it.

Froome’s win elevates him into a category of one. He has raised himself above Greg LeMond, Louison Bobet and Philippe Thys and brought himself within touching distance of Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Jacques Anquetil and Miguel Indurain.

“It’s a huge honour just to be mentioned in the same sentence as the greats of the Tour de France,” he said.

Given the Brit is 32 — still prime GC rider age — a fifth or even a sixth Tour title seems possible, though staff at Sky weren’t keen to say so on Saturday in Marseille.