Tour de France: Froome wins for fourth time

More from Brailsford, on whether Froome is not as popular as he deserves to be: "I don't think it's a popularity contest.

"You've got to look at the sporting achievement and Chris is right up there with the greats now.

"That's what he'll be looking at and I'm sure he'll be thinking about the respect amongst his peers in terms of what he's achieved and how he's achieved it.

"This has been our friendliest tour. There have been no difficult questions coming our way, no challenges - and that's a good sign of where we're at as a sport and where he's at.

"He deserves all the accolades he gets and I'm proud of Chris Froome - he's a great ambassador for the sport and a great ambassador for Team Sky and I'm sure a lot of people think the same."

Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford, speaking on ITV4: "I think Chris can go on - there's no reason to think that he can't.

"Physically he's got what it takes, so then it's a question of hunger and mentality and the Chris I've seen here has been working harder than ever.

"He's getting better tactically and technically, so as long as that hunger continues I think he'll be a force in this race for a number of years to come."

Michael Matthews finished in green, Warren Barguil in the polka dot. They both won two stages. Great tour for Team Sunweb.

Michael Matthews: "I knew I had good form coming into it but in the Tour you need a lot of luck and it must have been with me - no major crashes and we stayed strong."

Warren Barguil: "In Marseille yesterday it was special but here even more so because I live in Paris. I have had a lot of bad luck but now it is over and I can show my level to the people. I hope it will continue for a number of years."

AFPCopyright: AFP

Here is the final general classification for the 2017 Tour de France.

The closest margin of victory for Froome of his four titles but his rivals still need to find something to dethrone the Briton.

1. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) 86hrs 20mins 55secs
2. Rigoberto Uran (Col/Cannondale-Drapac) +54secs
3. Romain Bardet (Fra/AG2R La Mondiale) +2mins 20secs
4. Mikel Landa (Spa/Team Sky) +2mins 21secs
5. Fabio Aru (Ita/Astana) +3mins 05secs
6. Dan Martin (Ire/Quick-Step Floors) +4mins 42secs
7. Simon Yates (GB/Orica-Scott) +6mins 14secs
8. Louis Meintjes (SA/Team UAE Emirates) +8mins 20secs
9. Alberto Contador (Spa/Trek-Segafredo) +8mins 49secs
10. Warren Barguil (Fra/Team Sunweb) +9mins 25secs

AFPCopyright: AFP

Froome finishes his speech by addressing the crowd in French.

To my shame, my French isn't up to much these days but he does at one point praise the Tour de France for celebrating the best of sport, different cultures and a magnificent country.

He ends by saying he has fallen in love with the Tour de France.

A reminder of what happened earlier at the finish...

1. Dylan Groenewegen (Ned/LottoNL-Jumbo) 2hrs 25mins 39secs
2. Andre Greipel (Ger/Lotto-Soudal) Same Time
3. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor/Dimension Data)
4. Nacer Bouhanni (Fra/Cofidis)
5. Alexander Kristoff (Nor/Katusha-Alpecin)
6. Borut Bozic (Slo/Bahrain-Merida)
7. Davide Cimolai (Ita/FDJ)
8. Pierre-Luc Perichon (Fra/Fortuneo-Oscaro)
9. Ruediger Selig (Ger/BORA-hansgrohe)
10. Daniele Bennati (Ita/Movistar Team)

EPACopyright: EPA

Chris Froome then manages to fumble and drop the sheets his speech is written on. It's fair to say he's better at riding a bike than delivering a speech.

He continues: "The opportunity to win a fourth Tour de France has motivated and inspired me more than ever before.

"It is an honour to be up there with the riders who have won this Tour most times - it's a history I'm very proud to be a part of but every Tour is unique and every Tour is a new challenge.

"I will never forget what it means to wear the maillot jaune and what a privilege it is to wear it on the final podium on the Champs Elysees."

AFPCopyright: AFP

Here's the winning speech by Chris Froome:

"I want to dedicate this to my family, Michelle and Kellan, your love and support makes this all possible.

"My life with you is what makes all the sacrifices worth it.

"I'd like to thank my team - I could not have achieved this without you, both on and off the bike your dedication and passion inspire me.

"This Tour has been my toughest challenge yet - the performance of my rivals has pushed me harder than ever before so I want to pay tribute to my rivals.

"We race hard against each other, suffer together, but the most special thing is the friendship and camaraderie in the peloton."

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

Froome is back on the podium, now flanked by Rigoberto Uran and Romain Bardet, who finished second and third on GC respectively.

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

White jersey winner Simon Yates, speaking on ITV4: "I'm really happy, the team did a fantastic job and now it's sinking in.

"I tried when I could to attack and, when I couldn't, I tried to converse my energy and stay in the wheels.

"I like to ride aggressively but sometimes it's not always possible. We'll see how it pans out in the future."

AFPCopyright: AFP

Froome now joined by wife Michelle and son Kellan on the stage to celebrate.

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

And here he is. Britain's Chris Froome steps onto the podium in his white Team Sky jersey, soon to be replaced by the yellow jersey.

The maillot jaune, one of the most iconic prizes in all of sport, is his for a fourth time.

SMS Message: Froome is a quiet gentleman with the heart of a lion. He has respect for his fellow riders and I'm sure they respect him as a magnificent sportsman. I only wish the British public would recognise one of their own who is truly world class. Sir Chris Froome! from Liz M. Preston

Froome is a quiet gentleman with the heart of a lion. He has respect for his fellow riders and I'm sure they respect him as a magnificent sportsman. I only wish the British public would recognise one of their own who is truly world class. Sir Chris Froome!

Warren Barguil is back on the podium to collect his second prize - the 'super combativity' award for most aggressive rider.

Bit of controversy over this one - Thomas de Gendt spent over 1,000km off the front of the race in breakaways, more than anyone else in history, but missed out.

Here is Britain's Simon Yates to collect the white jersey for the best young rider (under the age of 26).

You'd be hard pushed to find a prouder family than Froome's but the Yates' might just take it.

That's two white jerseys in two years after Simon's twin brother Adam won it last year.

They may well be racing each other for the next British winner of the Tour at this rate.

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

Matthews steps off to be replaced by his Sunweb team-mate Warren Barguil, who will pull on the polka dot jersey as King of the Mountains.

This jersey has at times been taken by chancers or won as a consolation prize for riders out of contention for the overall.

Barguil, though, has done this jersey proud - dominating the competition with wonderful, attacking riding, while also finishing in the top 10 on general classification.

Expect the 25-year-old Frenchman to be a force in the overall next year.

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

Michael Matthews is next up to pull on the green jersey as winner of the points classification.

Five-time green jersey winner Peter Sagan was disqualified and Marcel Kittel crashed out while leading the competition.

But that shouldn't detract at all from Matthews' achievement. The Aussie rode brilliantly to carve Kittel's lead away and could well have won it even if the German remained in the race.

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

Stage winner Dylan Groenewegen is on his way to the podium - or at least he is until he's yanked away by his girlfriend and family for a few hugs.

A lovely moment for the Dutchman. Today easily the biggest win of his career.

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

That's also the first race Chris Froome has won in 2017.

Well, if you're going to only win one...