Tour de France: Chris Froome 'died a thousand deaths' on Alpe d'Huez
Team Sky rider describes impending victory as 'overwhelming'
Last Updated: 26/07/15 10:01am
Chris Froome has admitted he feared he could lose the Tour de France on stage 20's final climb up Alpe d'Huez and "died a thousand deaths" to keep the yellow jersey.
The Team Sky rider finished 1min 20sec behind closest rival Nairo Quintana on the day but will seal a 1min 12sec overall victory as he long as he avoids crashing on Sunday’s largely processional 21st stage into Paris.
He will be the first Briton to win the Tour twice and hands Team Sky their third yellow jersey in four years.
Quintana attacked no fewer than five times during stage 20 and Froome admitted he was hanging on at the end.
He said: "I was on my absolute limits. I felt like I was dying a thousand deaths up Alpe d'Huez today, but being with team-mates makes it a lot more manageable. I had a little bit left to do the last 1km and try to limit those losses.
"That probably was the hardest climb [of my career]. I have done some pretty tough climbs in the last few years and this was definitely right up there.
"A lot of emotions going through my mind. There was a moment where I felt, 'This could go the other way, I'm in difficulty here'."
Froome admitted his impending victory is all the sweeter for having overcome not just his rivals, but also accusations of doping and physical abuse from fans, the latest instance of which came when he was once again spat at on the final mountain stage.
He added: "It's overwhelming. We have been up against it all. There has been so much going on in the background, away from the race, which could have taken a lot of focus away from what we needed to achieve.
"It feels as if we have been up against everything these last three weeks and, to have still come out on top, it's unreal. To have won the Tour once was a dream come true. To come back and do it a second time - that is more than I could ever have imagined.”
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