Chris Froome wins Tour de France

Resplendent in yellow and riding a canary yellow bike, Chris Froome won his second Tour de France in three years on Sunday, with a leisurely pedal into Paris to wrap up a spectacular three-week slog of furious racing that culminated with a thrilling late fight-back by the British rider's toughest rival, Colombian Nairo Quintana.

Cheered on the Champs-Elysees under suitably rainy skies for Britain's third win in the 112-year-old race, Froome took it easy on the last Stage 21, his work done having grimly resisted Quintana's last-ditch assault on his hard-won Tour lead the previous day on the final Alpine ascent.

"The Maillot Jaune is special, very special," said Froome, using the jersey's French name.

"I understand its history, good and bad.I will always respect it."

Just as when Froome first won in 2013, Quintana was again runner-up, although the margin between them is much smaller this time.

Third-placed Alejandro Valverde, Quintana's Movistar teammate from Spain, made the podium for the first time, moving up from fourth last year.

On rain-soaked roads that caused numerous spills in the women's race on the Champs-Elysees before the men rode in, the tired riders didn't bother racing for much of the largely flat 110-kilometre final stage from Sevres, in the French capital's southwest.

To minimize the risk of crashes, Tour organizers stopped the race clock early, on the first of 10 laps up and down the Champs-Elysees' slick cobblestones.

That locked in Froome's lead to guarantee victory. He smiled broadly as he pedaled past flag-waving spectators. He still had to ride the 10 laps to complete the full race distance of 3,360 kilometres (2,088 miles). But knowing the title was his, he didn't have to panic when a paper bag got stuck in his back wheel. He simply stopped and changed bikes. He also had time to raise a glass of Champagne in the saddle and stop to put on a raincoat under the iconic yellow jersey.

While sprinters dashed ahead for the stage win snatched by Andre Greipel, his fourth and Germany's sixth at this Tour Froome and his teammates, wearing yellow stripes on their shorts and helmets, linked together, arms over each other's shoulders, and pedaled slowly over the line.

"This is your yellow jersey as much as it is mine," Froome said.