PARIS: Chris Froome will ride into Paris on Sunday wearing the Tour de France yellow jersey as only a disaster can prevent him winning a second crown.
The 30-year-old Briton has had an eventful Tour and even had to fight off the effects of a cough on Saturday as he battled grimly on Alpe d'Huez to prevent Nairo Quintana turning the overall standings on their head.
Barring a crash or some unforseen event, Froome will claim his second Tour crown having triumphed two years ago.
And it will be richly deserved on a Tour where the Sky leader has had to battle more than just his rivals.
He has come under fire from all angles off the bike as well, being the target of a cup of urine, spit and many insults along the Tour route.
Accusations of doping and of riding a motorised bicycle have also been launched at the amiable Kenyan-born athlete.
And yet throughout he has mostly kept his cool -- barring one foul-mouthed tirade directed at outgoing champion Vincenzo Nibali following Friday's 19th stage.
Froome believed Nibali had attacked the yellow jersey when the Briton suffered a mechanical issue -- thus breaking an unwritten rule in the peloton.
"What can I say? It's an amazing feeling to still be here in yellow," said Froome after Saturday's 20th stage.
"Of course I've got to get to Paris without any issues but from a racing side of things, that's done now.
"I've faced all sorts of challenges in almost three weeks of racing."
He added: "It's overwhelming, it feels like I've been up against everything these last three weeks -- to still come out on top is unreal.
"Obviously to win the Tour once is a dream come true but to come back and do it a second time is more than I ever imagined."
Again on Saturday, Froome revealed he was spat at but was at pains to praise the majority of Tour fans.
"There were a couple of people out there-- I was aware of a few people spitting again," he said.
"But 99 percent were absolutely fantastic and just cheering, that's what the Tour de France is about.
"It makes it so special when thousands of people line the roads to cheer the race and all the riders.
"It's a shame that a few individuals tarnish the race for others but for the vast majority, the support is overwhelming, especially from a British point of view.
"The number of Union Jacks and flags, it's amazing when you go past a group and they say: 'come on, get stuck in lads'!"
Sunday's 21st and final stage is a 109.5km flat run from Sevres to the Champs Elysees in Paris and should end in a bunch sprint, with German Andre Greipel aiming for a fourth stage win this year.
Peter Sagan will also be trying to end his two-year wait for a stage victory while Mark Cavendish, John Degenkolb and Alexander Kristoff could also be in the mix.
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