Froome has all but won his third Tour crown

Yellow jersey leader Team Sky rider Chris Froome of Britain cycles during the individual time trial. 
Image by: JACQUES CLAWEY / REUTERS

Chris Froome increased his lead in the Tour de France to just under four minutes in winning yesterday's 18th stage, a 17km uphill time trial.

The reigning champion started slowly but overhauled long-time leader Tom Dumoulin, who won the first time trial last week, to win by 21 seconds.

Italian Fabio Aru pipped Richie Porte of Australia by a fraction of a second to take third place.

Bauke Mollema of the Netherlands and Briton Adam Yates remained second and third respectively.

Froome was only fifth-fastest at the first time-check 6.5km into the race but was up to third by the second and had taken the lead by the third.

He timed his effort perfectly for his second stage win this year. He also gained one minute and 25 seconds on Mollema to increase his overall lead to 3 minutes 52 seconds.

With two more mountain stages to go before Sunday's final stage into Paris, Froome has been all but crowned king of the Tour for the third time. But the battle for a podium finish is hotting up, with Mollema, in second, and Porte, in sixth, separated by just 68 seconds.

For Nairo Quintana, fourth, it was another disappointing day, although he gained time on Mollema and Yates. But fifth-placed Romain Bardet of France and Porte both closed on the Movistar leader.