Tour de France: Ireland's Dan Martin digs in as Froome blitzes Tour field again

Ireland’s Dan Martin dropped one place to 10th overall after the 18th stage of the Tour de France yesterday as Chris Froome all but sealed outright victory.

The Team Sky rider crushed his rivals with an awesome display in the 17-kilometre uphill time-trial, beating his nearest challenger, Tom Dumoulin, by 21 seconds and extending his lead in the general classification to 3:52.

Given his healthy two and a half minute advantage coming into the stage, Froome could have ridden conservatively in advance of two big stages in the Alps to come — but he chose not to do so.