TOUR TOO CLOSE TO CALL

The Tour de France will go down to the wire. With six stages left before the three-week race reaches the Champs-Elysees in Paris, only 29 seconds separate the top four riders. Defending champion and three-time winner

Chris Froome has an 18-second lead over Fabio Aru of Italy. Frenchman Romain Bardet, the runner-up to Froome last year, is 23 seconds back from the leader, in third place. In fourth is Colombian Rigoberto Uran. It’s an unusual situation ahead of an intense final week of racing that includes two Alpine stages in high altitude and a short time trial. “It’s the hardest-fought battle in terms of Tours de France I’ve done before,” Froome said during Monday’s rest day. “I’m just grateful I’m on the right side of those gaps.”