Britain’s Chris Froome was crowned champion of the 100th edition of the Tour de France as Germany’s Marcel Kittel powered his way to his fourth win on the 21st and final stage on Sunday. Team Sky’s Froome, the winner of three stages in this edition, claimed his maiden yellow jersey with a winning margin of 4min 20sec on second-placed Colombian Nairo Quintana of Movistar. “I think it’s going to take a while to sink in,” said a triumphant Froome, who succeeded teammate and compatriot Bradley Wiggins, absent this year, as the yellow jersey champion. “It really has been a special edition of the Tour de France this year. Every day I woke up knowing I faced a fresh challenge... and I have to thank all my teammates for helping me achieve this dream.” Froome, whose mother Jane died in 2008 three weeks before he raced his maiden ‘Grande Boucle’, paid tribute as he stood atop the podium.