Team Sky's Chris Froome in the Marseille the time trial on Saturday. Credit:AP Froome's fourth Tour title was shored up with a strong third place in the 225km stage 20 time trial won by Poland's Maciej Bodnar (Bora-Hansgrohe) in 28 minutes 15.14 seconds in second was another Pole in Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky) at 1s, followed by Froome who finished at 6s to Bodnar. The podium saw one change - Colombian Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale-Drapac) overtook Bardet (Ag2r-La Mondiale). Before the stage Froome led the Tour by 23s over Bardet and 29s over Uran. But then Uran placed eighth in the time trial at 31s to Bodnar, while Bardet finished a poor 52nd at 2m 3s. That reshuffled the podium, leaving Froome with an overall lead 54s on Uran and 2m 20s on Bardet with one stage to go.

Michael Matthews (Sunweb) safely negotiates Marseille. Credit:Getty Images However, Bardet only just held onto third place as Spaniard Mikel Landa (Sky) almost pushed him out of the top three with his 15th place on the stage at 51s leaving him fourth but at 2m 21s to Froome and one second shy of Bardet overall Froome needs only to stay upright and finish in the main group in Sunday's 21st stage, 103km from Montgeron to the Champs-Élysées in Paris that should again be settled in a bunch sprint. Frenchman Warren Barguil (Sunweb) takes the polka dot jersey around the 22.5-kilometre time trial course in Marseille on Saturday. Credit:AP Likewise, for Australian Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb) who holds the green points jersey, and the Australian Orica-Scott team's Simon Yates of Great Britain who is seventh overall at 6m 14s has the white best young rider's jersey

Froome, meanwhile, ruled out his Sky team trying to haul Landa onto the podium in to third place with him, saying: "I'd be extremely doubtful that's on our agenda, but as far as I'm concerned the battle for the general classification is over." World time trial champion Tony Martin (Team Katusha). Credit:Getty Images Pressed on the prospect of becoming a member of the five times Tour winning club, Froome said: "It's a huge honour to be named in the same sense as the greats of the Tour de France history, but I'm just taking it one race at a time, I have to Paris first. I'm just taking it one season at a time. "I certainly have a new found appreciation for just how difficult it is for those guys to win five Tours de France. It hasn't been easy and this has been the closest of my career." Froome, whose previous Tour wins were in 2013, 2015 and last year, found it difficult to put a label on each of his successes when asked to, saying: "I'm not much of a person to look back," but then allowed his mind to drift back in time.

"The first time, the novelty of being a Tour winner was massive … to come back and win again made it count even more. And to do it last year, two in a row, was a big drive for me. Now the fourth, the third in a row, is just ... I never have dreamed of being up there and being named with the likes of Eddy Merckx, Anquetil and Indurain. It's just big to be there." Froome was not perturbed that this latest Tour crown will come without having won a stage. He said the prospect was possible as soon as the race route was unveiled last October. "Given the course … It was always going to be a three-week race, making sure there weren't any massive losses. Yeah, I suffered on Peyragudes [stage 12 in the Pyrenees won by Bardet, losing the yellow jersey to Italian Fabio Aru (Astana)]. I was extremely grateful it wasn't more than that time." Time was of the essence in this Tour. Froome's eventual overall lead of 54s to become his smallest winning margin. But he said that did not mean it was Froome's hardest Tour, despite many saying that he was not as strong as in past year

"It was never secure here until I was over the line here in Marseille," Froome said. "I was just grateful I had legs today, and I could push and wasn't on a bad day. Every Tour de France is hard, to say one is harder than other, it's difficult to say. Every year you are going to suffer I'd say it's the closest." Froome said he held nothing against those French spectators who booed him in Saturday's time trial, explaining that he understood that local crowds were right behind Bardet "I think it's perfectly normal with a Frenchman 23 second behind me this morning, and being in the centre in Marseille in the centre of a football stadium," Froome said. "I'll certainly forgive them for it. It's been incredible on the road this year, it's better than any of the Tours I've done." Uran, twice second in the Giro d'Italia (2013 and 2014), was happy to move up to second overall, saying: "It has been a very good Tour for me, I have won a stage (stage 9), but finishing second is the most important moment of my career.

"Colombia was accustomed to Nairo Quintana making the podium, and with me, it's back on the podium. For the country is very important and shows the talent pool we have in Colombia. There are many more cyclists coming through. "I have no idea if I will be able to beat Froome in the future. This year, Sky had a very strong team and they made the difference in many stages. They controlled the Tour from start to finish." Bardet was understandably disappointed for losing second place. His team raced well. He showed he could match Froome in the mountains and was happy to have finished far closer to him than last year when he was second at 4m 5s. But he said since the Alps he had been stricken with a cold. Loading

He also lamented his showing in Saturday's time trial, admitting he needs to put much more work in the discipline "I am pretty excited about the future because I can improve a lot in the the time trial," Bardet said. "It is not the way I like to ride my back and don't like to train on the time trial bike. It is a bit boring. I paid a big price today. I am only 26 and maybe have to focus more in next year's to fight for the win."