PARIS — Because of rain and slippery roads, Tour de France organizers have stopped the race clock, meaning Chris Froome is guaranteed his second victory just so long as he crosses the finishing line.
Normally, riders’ times would have been taken at the finish line after 10 loops up and down the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris. But to minimize the risk of crashes on the slick cobblestones, race organizers have decided to stop the clock at the beginning of the first loop.
That locks in Froome’s race lead over runner-up Nairo Quintana. The British rider must still ride the 10 laps to complete the full Tour distance. But he can now do so at his own pace, without the risk of crashing, leaving sprinters and their teams to ride off in search of the stage win.
