Tour de France: Chris Froome closes in on fourth title

Britain's Chris Froome all but wrapped up a third consecutive and fourth overall Tour de France victory on Saturday as he increased his lead after a time trial on the streets in Marseille, France.

The 32-year-old Froome, the last rider to set off from the Stade Velodrome, effectively clinched his fourth title in five years after finishing third on the penultimate stage of the race. The Team Sky rider finished six seconds behind Stage 20 winner Maciej Bodnar of Poland.

Froome will not have his lead attacked on Sunday's ceremonial final stage into Paris on the Champs-Elysees.

"It's an amazing feeling," Froome said afterward. "There was a lot of pressure coming into the stage with it being so close in the general classification. It's a really fitting way to end the battle for the Tour de France.

"Three weeks of racing are almost at an end -- we've still got to get to Paris but this is an amazing feeling."

Colombian rider Rigoberto Uran moved into second place in the general classification, 54 seconds behind Froome (83 hours, 55 minutes, 16 seconds). Frenchman Romain Bardet struggled in the heat and dropped to third overall, two minutes, 20 seconds behind Froome.

Froome, who won cycling's biggest race in 2013, 2015 and 2016, did not win a single stage this year after the three grueling weeks.

"I didn't think it would come down to this TT in Marseille," Froome said. "There was a bit of pressure but, for me, it's always a good thing having pressure."