Froome takes another step to fourth title

Chris Froome kept control of his rivals in a gruelling Alpine ride to move a step closer to a fourth Tour de France title yesterday, retaining the leader's yellow jersey after the 17th stage, won by Slovenia's Primoz Roglic.

The defending champion was attacked by last year's runner-up, Romain Bardet, and Ireland's Dan Martin in the lung-busting ascent to the Col du Galibier but stayed calm and covered every offensive move.

Bardet and Martin's accelerations, however, were damaging for Fabio Aru as the Italian lost 31 seconds and slipped from second to fourth place.

Froome leads Colombian Rigoberto Uran and Bardet by 27 seconds each, while Aru is now 53 seconds off the pace.

Martin and Bardet launched countless attacks of their own on the climb, but Froome stayed in control. The Irishman, whose uncle Stephen Roche won the Tour in 1987, paid the price later on, but Frenchman Bardet hung on to finish fourth behind Uran and Froome.