Chris Froome overcame the final test of the 2013 Tour de France with flying colors as he finished third on top of Mont Semnoz behind Spanish rider Joaquim Rodríguez and Columbian biking sensation Nairo Quintana (3h 39' 04") to take the victory in the 100th edition of the world's greatest biking race.
With Sunday's sprint to Paris left in the tour, Froome secured his place in history by giving Great Britain its second consecutive Tour de France triumph, almost a year after Sir Bradley Wiggins bagged the prestigious award.
It has been a cruise control campaign for Froome, who showcased his all-around skills throughout the entire competition. The Kenyan-born biker took the top spot on the general classification standings after winning the Ax 3 Domaines stage. He then followed it up with sensational wins on Mont Ventoux and the final individual time trial on Stage 17.
Aside from Froome's brilliance, the 2013 Tour de France has also witnessed a revelation in Quintana, who has been a monster in the mountain stages of the tour despite his 5-foot-5, 126-pound frame.
Quintana, who started from humble beginnings in the financially-challenged area in Columbia, pedaled his way to victory in the final eight kilometers of the climb towards the peak of Mont Semnoz. The Columbian found a great climbing partner in Rodriguez and both riders worked together to keep the charging Froome within range. Finally, in the final one kilometer of race, Quintana poured all his energy to take his first stage victory of the tour and the title of the 'king of the mountains' in the process.
Many biking analysts believe Quintana's showing in his Tour de France debut is just a glimpse of the great things he can achieve in the coming years. Others also suggest this year tour will pave way for an interesting rivalry between Froome and Quintana in the next three or four years.
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