Froome’s chasers still trailing
Chris Froome is halfway through the Alps, the last obstacle to his second Tour de France victory. As they did on the first Alpine stage on Wednesday, Froome’s rivals again tested the Team Sky rider but couldn’t make him crack over seven climbs. Twotime champion Alberto Contador showed spirit, with a burst of speed on the 22- kilometre long climb up to the Glandon pass, but he couldn’t claw back the minutes he lost on Wednesday in a crash. Froome says he feels stronger than he did at the same point two years ago. “This time two years ago I was just sort of hanging on.”