ALPE D’HUEZ, France – Feeling like he was “dying a thousand deaths,” Chris Froome started to think that a second Tour de France victory might be melting away like the patches of snow on surrounding Alpine peaks.
Up ahead, already out of sight on the 21 hairpin bends lined by frenzied spectators, Froome’s biggest rival at this Tour and those to come, Nairo Quintana, was flying, out of his saddle, getting away.
Grimly, Froome clung on. Following the wheels of two teammates who led him up cycling’s most iconic climb to the Alpe d’Huez ski station, he passed – barely – the last big test before the three-week race rolls to its finish in Paris on Sunday.
This wasn’t the dominant Froome whose powerful performances in the Pyrenees seemed, to some skeptics, reminiscent of dope cheats who did so much damage to the Tour. This was just a man, fighting pain, fighting the mountain, fighting to survive.
“There was a moment where I felt this could go either way,” the British rider said.
“I was on my absolute limits. I was dying a thousand deaths.”
Quintana was outstanding on the storied ascent, piling on speed in his last real opportunity to unseat the race leader. Over his radio, Froome’s Team Sky updated him on the Colombian’s progress as he scythed through fans waving flares and smoke bombs.
“We were getting time checks every few minutes,” Froome said. “It was comforting to see it wasn’t suddenly jumping by 30 seconds each time. It was slowly moving up 5-10 seconds at a time.”
Thibaut Pinot won Saturday’s Stage 20, the third French victory of this Tour. But it was Quintana’s bold last assault and Froome’s tenacious defense that provided the thrilling finale to a spectacular race.
The 1 minute, 12 seconds Froome preserved over Quintana will see him crowned the winner on the Champs-Elysees.