Tour de France 2013 Winner: Chris Froome Rides into Paris, Effectively Wins Championship

By Eric Chen
ChrisFroome.jpg
Britain's Chris Froome effectively wins the Tour de France 100th Tour. Getty Images

Chris Froome finishes Tour de France Stage 20 in third, retaining his more than five minutes lead before Sunday’s largely ceremonial final ride to Paris. He effectively wins the race, becoming the second consecutive British champion.

Only an accident or other freak mishap could stop Froome from winning the 100th Tour, a year after another British competitor, Bradley Wiggins, won the 99th.

Froome dramatically finished Stage 20 on Saturday, where he raced up the final steep climb that was rate HC or “Hors Categorie,” meaning it’s considered too difficult to classify. He rode past ski lifts and ski slopes in the Alps to Annecy-Semnoz, completing the 125-kilometer (78-mile) trek, the last significant obstacle Froome needed to overcome before Sunday’s easy ride.

Nairo Quintana of Colombia won the podium and moved up to second overall.

Joaquim Rodriguez of Spain came in just 17 seconds behind Quintana. He moved up to third overall.

Froome maintains the first overall, leading both Quintana and Rodriguez by more than five minutes.

Froome told French television that when he passed the sign showing 2 kiometers (about 1 mile) to go on Saturday’s final climb, “for the first time I realized that it was almost won.”

“It was hard today,” said the 28-year-old cyclist. “Rodriguez and Quintana raced very strongly.”

Sunday “will be a day for sprinters on the Champs-Elysees. For us, it is done.”

Quintana’s win at Stage 20 secured him the spotted jersey awarded to riders who pick up the most points on mountain climbs. He also retained the white jersey as the Tour’s best young rider.

“I couldn’t ask for more,” he said in tears at his news conference as stage winner, according to AP. “I got nearly everything. It was fabulous. It’s a very special day in Colombia. A big party and the whole of Colombia is celebrating.”

Sunday’s 133-kilometer (82-mile) trek starts in Versailles and will end on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. Setting off in the late afternoon, the riders have two small humps to climb before they reach the finish line, ending the 100th Tour.

  • ‘Wang Mingdao’s Diary’ reproduction highlights complexities of contemporary Chinese Christianity

    On December 9, the China Graduate School of Theology (中国神学研究院) hosted a public lecture titled “A Courageous Witness in the Times—Launch of Wang Mingdao (王明道)’s Diary.” The lecture, themed “Faith Patterns in Beijing’s Christian Churches Through the Lens of Wang Mingdao’s Diary,” featured Dr. Ni Buxiao (倪步晓), Associate Director and Assistant Professor at the Christian Faith and Chinese Culture Research Center of Alliance Bible Seminary (建道神学院), as the keynote speaker.

  • Floating library ‘Doulos Hope’ arrives in Taiwan; spreading love and hope from a former cruise ship

    Doulos Hope, the international floating book fair ship, has returned to Taiwan and is now docked at Kaohsiung Port, open to the public from December 18, 2024, to January 12, 2025. Originally built in 1991 and renovated in 2022, the ship features over 2,000 books on various topics, including faith, science, and art. It is operated by a diverse crew of 140 volunteers from 25 countries, offering services such as education, healthcare, and community outreach. The ship's mission is to spread hope and

  • Chinese Online School of Theology publishes annual ministry report: Expanding Chinese theological education through new strategies

    In the 2023-2024 academic year, New York-based Chinese Online School of Theology (COST) has seen significant development in expanding its ministry in theological education and mission outreach. They have promoted a series of new events and projects to explore different strategies that expand theological education for Chinese ministers. The following are some highlights from the 2023-2024 annual report:

  • Dr. Fenggang Yang: How foreign forces transformed traditional Chinese legal systems

    In a recent lecture to Chinese Christians, scholar Dr. Fenggang Yang (杨凤岗) gave an in-depth analysis of the historical evolution and contemporary significance of the modern legal system in Chinese society. He explored the tensions and integrations between traditional law and modern rule of law, highlighting the distinctive characteristics of China’s traditional legal system and emphasizing the role of foreign influences in introducing modern legal practices into Chinese society.

Top Stories