Chris Froome is prepared to sacrifice his own quest for another Tour de France title to help guide Geraint Thomas to the top step of the podium in Paris.
Froome sits a minute and 39 seconds behind race leader Thomas in the General Classification at the start of the final week.
The defending champion would join Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain as the only men to win the prestigious race five times if he is wearing the yellow jersey in the French capital on Sunday.
Thomas and Team Sky have maintained that Froome is the team leader, but the 33-year-old has no issue playing a supporting role for his fellow Brit.
"As long as there is a Team Sky rider on the top step of the podium in Paris, I'm happy," Froome said during a rest day on Monday.
Asked specifically if he would be willing to put paid to his title chances to help Thomas achieve a first Grand Tour triumph, he replied: "Yes."
Tom Dumoulin sits in third place - a further 11 seconds adrift of Thomas - but Froome says the onus is on Team Sky's rivals to try and make their presence felt with some tough stages to come in the Pyrenees.
"All this talk of attacking or not attacking … we're in an amazing position, we're one and two," he said.
"It's not up to us to be attacking. It’s for all the other riders in the peloton to make up time on us and dislodge us from the position we're in."
