Bodnar may have been victorious on the winding 22.5-kilometer (14-mile) time trial with a time of 28 minutes, 15 seconds, but it was Team Sky rider Froome who was, once again, the day's big winner. The 32-year-old was the last rider to set off from the Stade Velodrome and retains the yellow jersey after extending his lead over Colombian Uran Rigoberto to 54 seconds ahead of Sunday's largely ceremonial final stage.

Barring any mishaps on the ride to Paris, Froome will become only the fifth man to win four Tour titles. Four riders have won five. "Three weeks of racing are almost at an end - we've still got to get to Paris, but this is an amazing feeling," Froome told British broadcaster ITV. "It was tough - there were a thousand what ifs and things that could go wrong so it was not an easy one coming into today with it being so close. But it feels incredible to finish this one off."

The Tour ends Sunday with a 103km ride from Montegron to the traditional finish in Paris on the Champs-Elysees. Only the sprinters will be competing for places. Froome's victory this time round has been a triumph of consistency, as the British rider has not yet won an individual stage. Unless he comes in first on Sunday, he will become the seventh rider to claim the final yellow jersey without a stage win.

Courtesy:DW