Cycling: Froome wins Criterium du Dauphine

British rider Chris Froome reinforced his status as favourite for this year’s Tour de France on Sunday when he won the testing warm-up race, the Criterium du Dauphine.

The 28-year-old, second behind Team Sky team-mate Bradley Wiggins in last year’s Tour de France, claimed victory after Italian Alessandro de Marchi won the 155.5km eighth and final stage.

Froome, Kenyan-born and brought up in South Africa but who has ridden with a British licence since 2008, was followed in the overall standings by Sky team-mate Richie Porte of Australia.