Chris Froome on podium, Tour de France 2013, stage 21

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 16 (Stage 20)

Podcast 15 (Stages 18 & 19)

Podcast 14 (Stage 17)

Podcast 13 (Stage 16)

Podcast 12 (stage 15)

Podcast 11 (Stage 14)

Podcast 10 (stage 13)

Podcast nine (stage 12)

Podcast eight (stage 11)

Podcast seven (stage 10)

Podcast six (stage nine)

Podcast five (stage eight)

Podcast four (stage six)

Podcast three (stage five)

Podcast two (stage four)

Podcast one (stage one)

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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Nigel Wynn
Former Associate Editor

Nigel Wynn worked as associate editor on CyclingWeekly.com, he worked almost single-handedly on the Cycling Weekly website in its early days. His passion for cycling, his writing and his creativity, as well as his hard work and dedication, were the original driving force behind the website’s success. Without him, CyclingWeekly.com would certainly not exist on the size and scale that it enjoys today. Nigel sadly passed away, following a brave battle with a cancer-related illness, in 2018. He was a highly valued colleague, and more importantly, an exceptional person to work with - his presence is sorely missed.