Monday 24 July 2017 15:25, UK
Sir Dave Brailsford has hailed Team Sky's fifth Tour de France title as the toughest they have won.
Chris Froome sealed his fourth victory at the Tour on the Champs-Elysees in Paris following Sir Bradley Wiggins' triumph in 2012.
Brailsford identified this year's win as their most challenging because of the way the course was designed and how competitive their rivals were.
"It's been the longest Grand Tour that we've ever done," said Brailsford. "This one really took its toll, the margins were so narrow it lasted all the way right through to the very last day.
"The course was designed this year to reduce the margins that you could gain in time trials. There was less climbing so it was a more open race. The team or the person that was going to win this year was the one that made the fewest errors, and so that made it very intense every day. It was the most competitive race we've ever done I'd say."
Froome finished 54 seconds ahead of Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale-Drapac) - the narrowest winning margin in any of his Tour triumphs.
"When his back is against the wall - like all great champions - he just believes that he can win," said Brailsford. "Physically he is unquestionably one of the best riders in the world, but it's his mental strength which gives him the edge."
Froome was booed by some fans along the 3,500km route, but Brailsford says those actions came from a minority on the roadside.
"99.9% of the time the crowd are fantastic," he said. "It's the friendliest tour we've ever had actually. It's the most supported we've been. You're going to get the odd isolated incident when there's a home rider and the crowd is pretty patriotic, but overall it's the friendliest tour we've ever had."
