Chris Froome is prepared to sacrifice his 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.
"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 Monday.
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, 33, is the team leader, but he has no issue playing a supporting role for his fellow Brit.
Asked specifically if he would be willing to put aside to his title chances to help Thomas achieve a first Grand Tour triumph, Froome 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."
CLASSIFICATION STANDINGS
General Classification
1. Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) 62:49.47
2. Chris Froome (Team Sky) +1.39
3. Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb) +1.50
Points Classification
1. Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) 452
2. Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates) 170
3. Arnaud Demare (FDJ) 133
King of the Mountains
1. Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors) 92
2. Warren Barguil (Team Fortuneo-Samsic) 70
3. Serge Pauwels (Team Dimension Data) 66
Up next …
After Monday's second rest day of the Tour, the final week starts with the second-longest stage of the race, a 218km route from Carcassonne to Bagneres-de-Luchon.
