Italy’s Vincenzo Nibali wins Tour de France

ASSOCIATED PRESS

11 years ago

Italy’s Vincenzo Nibali, wearing the overall leader’s yellow jersey, rides in the rain during the nineteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 208.5 kilometers (129.6 miles) with start in Maubourguet and finish in Bergerac, France, Friday, July 25, 2014. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

PARIS — Italy’s Vincenzo Nibali has won the Tour de France, becoming the first Italian to win cycling’s greatest race in 16 years by chiselling a lead over his main rivals a few seconds at a time and dominating them in the mountains.

The 29-year-old Sicilian, who called himself “a flag-bearer of anti-doping” during the race, finished in the main pack behind Marcel Kittel, who won Sunday’s Stage 21 in a sprint finish.

Nibali’s victory comes after the pre-race favorites — 2013 champion Chris Froome and two-time winner Alberto Contador — crashed out with injuries in the first half of the race.

Nibali is only the sixth rider to win all three Grand Tours — France, Italy and Spain— and is the first Italian to win the Tour de France since Marco Pantani in 1998.