Froome cruises in with champers

Chris Froome put on a near-perfect performance to claim his fourth Tour de France and move within one title of cycling's greatest yesterday as Team Sky tightened their grip on the classic race.

The Briton suffered a few hiccups but was always in control over the three-week race thanks to his excellent teammates who sheltered him when it mattered, leaving the lanky rider to make the difference in the time trials.

Sky, which have the biggest budget of the peloton, have now snatched five of the last six titles and came within a whisker of placing two riders on the podium as Spain's Mikel Landa missed out on the top three by one second, according to provisional timings.

Froome is now one title behind Belgian Eddy Merckx, Spain's Miguel Indurain and French duo Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault.

He is the first to win three consecutive titles since Indurain, who prevailed from 1991-95. The disgraced Lance Armstrong's seven titles since then have been erased from the record book.

Colombian Rigoberto Uran finished second overall, 54 seconds behind, and France's Romain Bardet, runner-up last year, was third, 2:20 off the pace after both riders lost time to Froome in Saturday's final time trial.

Sunday's largely processional stage from Montgeron - where the first Tour started in 1903 - to the Champs Elysees in Paris was won by Dutchman Dylan Groenewegen in a bunch sprint.

The 103km ride was the occasion for Froome to sip Champagne with his teammates as the race began only when the peloton reached the Champs Elysees.

France had a great Tour with five stage wins, including a double by Warren Barguil, who won the polka dot jersey and emerged as a popular figure, bringing back memories of Richard Virenque.