Nibali joins elite club with Tour de France victory

This time, there were no grand declarations. When Vincenzo Nibali took the microphone to greet the multitudes on the Champs-Élysées, the newly-crowned Tour de France champion's speech was a simple one. Words of thanks for his team and his family, and tears of joy as the magnitude of his achievement dawned on him.

Barry Ryan
Head of Features

Barry Ryan was Head of Features at Cyclingnews. He has covered professional cycling since 2010, reporting from the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and events from Argentina to Japan. His writing has appeared in The Independent, Procycling and Cycling Plus. He is the author of The Ascent: Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and the Rise of Irish Cycling’s Golden Generation, published by Gill Books.