Chris Froome (Sky) sealed the overall win in the 2013 Tour de France on Sunday evening in Paris, safely coming home in the yellow jersey. Froome becomes thesecond British rider to claim the coveted Tour title in as many years after Bradley Wiggins in 2012.
Although Froome's overall win was assured, Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma) was denied a fifth consecutive victory on the Champs Élysées by Marcel Kittel (Argos-Shimano). Andre Greipel (Lotto) placed second, with Cavendish third.
Kittel kicked into his sprint early, forcing both Greipel and Cavendish to play catch-up. Although Cavendish's acceleration was greater than his two German rivals he simply couldn't catch Kittel as his wheels skipped and jumped over the slick cobbles.
Earlier, David Millar (Garmin-Sharp) had been on a long, lone escape building up a lead of half a minute at one point before fading with the effort. A couple of further breaks were launched, bu the pace of the sprinters' teams meant that it was always going to come down to a bunch gallop.
Unusually for a final stage, Froome lost time to all of his overall rivals after holding back with all of his Sky team-mates to roll across the line together. The team crossed the line 53 seconds behind winner Kittel, and 43 second behinds behind a group containing Nairo Quintana (Movistar) and Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha).
It meant that Froome completed the race four minutes and 20 seconds ahead of Quintana, who also claimed the white jersey for best young rider and the mountains classification.
Rodriguez rounded-out the final podium in third, five minutes and four second adrift of Froome.
Froome dedicated the win to his late mother, and concluded his podium speech with the line: "This is one yellow jersey that will stand the test of time" having been dogged by questions of doping throughout the race.
Froome's victory means that he should start the 2014 Tour de France in Yorkshire wearing the number one of defending champion.
Results
Tour de France 2013, stage 21: Versailles to Paris Champs Élysées, 133.5km
1. Marcel Kittel (Ger) Argos-Shimano in 3-06-14
2. Andre Greipel (Ger) Lotto-Belisol
3. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Omega Pharma-QuickStep
4. Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale
5. Roberto Ferrari (Ita) Lampre-Merida
6. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha
7. Kevin Reza (Fra) Europcar
8. Yohann Gene (Fra) Europcar
9. Daniele Bennati (Ita) Saxo-Tinkoff
10. Murilo Fischer (Bra) FDJ all same time
Other
128. Chris Froome (GBr) Sky at 53 secs
Final overall classification
1. Chris Froome (GBr) Sky in 83-56-40
2. Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar at 4-20
3. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Katusha at 5-04
4. Alberto Contador (Spa) Saxo-Tinkoff at 6-27
5. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Saxo-Tinkoff at 7-27
6. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Belkin at 11-42
7. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana at 12-17
8. Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar at 15-26
9. Daniel Navarro (Spa) Cofidis at 15-52
10. Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin-Sharp at 17-39
Other
33. Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin-Sharp at 1-13-08
40. Nicolas Roche (Irl) Saxo-Tinkoff at 1-34-17
77. Peter Kennaugh (GBr) Sky at 2-33-46
113. David Millar (GBr) Garmin-Sharp at 3-14-25
135. Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky at 3-38-49
140. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky at 3-43-34
148. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Omega Pharma-QuickStep at 3-52-04
Points classification: Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale
Mountains classification: Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar
Best young rider: Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar
Team: Saxo-Tinkoff
Chris Froome and Mark Cavendish pass the Arc de Triomphe
David Millar goes solo
Bram Tankink leads a late escape group
Marcel Kittel wins the stage
Time to spare: Team Sky roll in as Froome takes the overall win
Chris Froome tops the final podium, with Nairo Quintana (left) in second and Joaquim Rodriguez (right) in third
Tour de France 2013: Stage reports
Stage 20: Froome set for Tour win as Quintana takes stage
Stage 19: Costa takes second Tour stage win
Stage 18: Riblon wins on Alpe d'Huez as Froome suffers
Stage 17: Froome wins third 2013 Tour stage
Stage 16: Costa takes solo win as Froome put under pressure
Stage 15: Froome wins on Mont Ventoux to extend lead
Stage 14: Trentin wins from break
Stage 13: Cavendish wins, Valverde loses on stage 13
Stage 12: Kittel out-sprints Cavendish
Stage 11: Martin wins time trial as Froome extends lead
Stage 10: Kittel takes second stage win
Stage nine: Martin wins stage as Froome fights to keep lead
Stage eight: Froome wins Tour mountains stage to take overall lead
Stage seven: Sagan scores first win of 2013 Tour
Stage six: Greipel wins as Impey moves into lead
Stage five: Cavendish wins; Gerrans keeps lead
Stage four: Orica win Tour's team time trial to put Gerrans in yellow
Stage three: Gerrans outpaces Sagan to take win
Stage two: Millar denied yellow as Bakelants takes spoils
Stage one: Kittel wins chaotic opening stage
Tour de France 2013: Podcasts
Podcast six (stage nine)
Tour de France 2013: Comment, analysis, blogs
Analysis: Time for change in the king of the mountains classification
Moto blog part two (July 15)
Moto blog part one (July 9)
Lessons learnt by Team Sky after Tour visits Pyrenees
Was Sunday (stage nine) a missed opportunity for Froome's rivals?
Rest day review (July 8)
Tour de France: 100 Tours, 1,000 stories
Tour de France 2013: Photo galleries
Stage 20 by Graham Watson
Stage 19 by Graham Watson
Stage 18 by Graham Watson
Stage 17 by Graham Watson
Stage 16 by Graham Watson
Stage 15 by Graham Watson
Stage 14 by Graham Watson
Stage 13 by Graham Watson
Stage 12 by Graham Watson
Stage 11 by Graham Watson
Stage 10 by Graham Watson
Stage nine by Andy Jones
Stage nine by Graham Watson
Stage eight by Andy Jones
Stage eight by Graham Watson
Stage seven by Andy Jones
Stage seven by Graham Watson
Stage six by Andy Jones
Stage six by Graham Watson
Stage five by Andy Jones
Stage five by Graham Watson
Stage four by Andy Jones
Stage four by Graham Watson
Stage three by Graham Watson
Stage two by Graham Watson
Stage one by Graham Watson
Team presentation by Graham Watson
Tour de France 2013: Live text coverage
In association with Castelli Cafe.
Stage 21 live text coverage
Stage 20 live text coverage
Stage 19 live text coverage
Stage 18 live text coverage
Stage 17 live text coverage
Stage 16 live text coverage
Stage 15 live text coverage
Stage 14 live text coverage
Stage 13 live text coverage
Stage 12 live text coverage
Stage 11 live text coverage
Stage 10 live text coverage
Stage nine live text coverage
Stage eight live text coverage
Stage seven live text coverage
Stage six live text coverage
Stage five live text coverage
Stage four live text coverage
Stage three live text coverage
Stage two live text coverage
Stage one live text coverage
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