Froome says 'no regrets' over missing Tour stage win
COL D'IZOARD (France): Chris Froome may be sitting pretty in yellow and on the brink of winning a fourth Tour de France, but he remains frustrated by his inability to taste a stage victory this year.
In his previous Tour victories in 2013, 2015 and last year, he won at least one stage each time and even managed three in 2013.
But with only three stages left, Froome has won none yet in 2017, and in fact he's not raised his arm in victory in any race this year.
Going back to 2013, he'd always come into the Tour with at least two and up to four stage race wins, including numerous individual stage victories too.
But this year, his record shows nothing, with his best result fourth overall at June's Criterium du Dauphine.
The Team Sky leader came close again on Thursday but was unable to make the difference when he accelerated 2.5km from the finish and came home fourth on the 179.5km 18th stage that finished on the tough Col d'Izoard, as Frenchman Warren Barguil claimed his second stage success.
"For sure it would be amazing to have won a stage today, especially on the most iconic climb on the race," admitted Froome, 32.
"But my goal is to focus on the yellow jersey and if I got to Paris in yellow, I would have no regrets on this Tour."
Froome remains the overwhelming favourite to win his fourth Tour title as he is the strongest time-trialist amongst the contenders going into Saturday's 22.5km race against the clock.
He has a 23sec advantage over Romain Bardet and 29sec to Rigoberto Uran.
On the opening stage 14km timetrial he beat Bardet by 39sec and Uran by 51sec, although it was raining that day with conditions wetter and slippier for some than others.
"It's a really close race still for sure," added Froome.
"Hopefully, if the first time-trial in Dusseldorf is anything to go by, then I'd have the upper hand on the rest of the GC guys.
"But having said that, it's still very close and still anything can happen."
Frenchman Bardet had tried to attack to gain time on his rivals, knowing that normally he's the weakest of the three in time-trials, despite actually beating Uran in Dusseldorf.
The Colombian, on the other hand, rode defensively, covering moves by Bardet and then Froome, although he gave up a handful of seconds on the line.
"The important thing was to stay at the front and not lose time," said the 30-year-old Uran.
"We suffered on the Izoard, it was really tough, but it was good for me.
"We knew it would be difficult, it's difficult to attack Sky."