Nairo Quintana attacks and detaches Froome another 1'26” but does not hit the stage won by Thibaut Pinot nor the yellow jersey: the Tour remains in the hands of the white Kenyan for 72 seconds who scores an encore without making the extraterrestrial of the edition 2013, indeed suffering from Quintana's attacks in the last two Alpine stages as never seen before.
A Froome who without the precious help of Porte and Poels on the legendary hairpin bends of the Alpe could have compromised a Tour that seemed to have already been put in a safe. For Quintana, who as in 2013 finished second behind the British without winning another stage, the regret of not having attacked earlier, perhaps already in the Pyrenees.
With a strong team like Movistar – who wins the Tour per équipe – and with an exceptional partner like Valverde in this Tour, the Colombian Condor could have dared something more considering that he is the strongest grimpeur around and that the Last week's Froome showed signs of impatience after having terrified everyone with the terrible smoothie in the stage of La Pierre-Sainte-Marie.
But thanks to his double attack, on Friday on the ramps of the Tousseirie, yesterday on the Alpe d'Huez, Quintana showed that even Froome is not invincible, even if still over the three weeks of the Tour, the leader of Team Sky has shown the strongest by also winning the climbers' leader polka dot jersey.
If Quintana has regrets but has plenty of time to conquer the Tour, a great like Contador leaves a Tour that has never seen him as a protagonist, except for short and unrealistic attacks like the one on Glandon. The dream of winning the Giro and Tour has definitively faded for the Pistolero who certainly paid off in France for the efforts made in defense of the pink jersey.
Tour that risked being bankruptcy for Nibali, if there hadn't been the amazing feat in the day before yesterday's stage that brought him close to the podium. Too bad for the Shark that right at the foot of Alpe d'Huez a puncture blew up Valverde's third-place attack plan. Nibali had to settle for arriving on the Alpe together with Contador, Gesink, Mollema 3'30” behind Thibaut Pinot, a splendid winner on a finish line that is worth a career.
The Frenchman, who soon finished out of the standings also due to accidents and falls, was the protagonist of a perfect ascent, first with Ryder Hesjedal chasing his breakaway companion Geniez, then all left alone resisting the forcing unleashed by Quintana who detached Froome, was looking for the sensational en plein. The Colombian reached the top just 18" from Pinot. Behind Hesjedal at 41”. Then the couple Valverde-Froome at 1'41” with the Murciano deservedly consolidating his third place against Nibali. There was no need to wait for the official classification to understand that by 1'12” Froome had won the Tour and that Quintana had lost it. Today the Champs-Elysees parade for the third British triumph in the history of the Tour. It will also be the last chance for Peter Sagan to win a stage to toast his green jersey as leader of the points classification, the fourth in his career on a par with Sean Kelly ..
