Froome essentially clinches 3rd Tour de France title
Spanish rider Jon Izagirre won the rainy penultimate stage by attacking on the slippery descent from the Col de Joux Plane into Morzine.
Froome is set to become the first rider to defend the Tour title since Miguel Indurain won the last of his five straight titles in 1995.
Froome wore bandages on his right knee and elbow after crashing on a slippery descent a day earlier.
On the final descent, which had a vertical drop of more than 2,300 feet, Froome was extremely careful.
[...] for me it was not the same as in previous years, Tour director Christian Prudhomme said, looking back to Froome’s attacks in Stages 8 and 11.
Jarlinson Pantano of Colombia finished second in the stage, 19 seconds behind Izagirre, and 2014 champion Vincenzo Nibali crossed third, 42 seconds back.
Izagirre had enough time to clap his hands together in celebration as he crossed the line and secured his first career stage win in the Tour.
Izagirre was in front on the descent when Pantano made a slight error and had to put his left foot to the ground to regain control, which also slowed Nibali.
[...] this stage, Izagirre had been a support rider for Movistar teammate Quintana, a two-time Tour runner-up who had designs on winning this Tour.
Froome and the other leaders of the Tour were joined by German national champion Andre Greipel at the front of the peloton as riders removed their helmets and stood silently.