Criterium du Dauphine: Chris Froome wins second title

Chris Froome was seventh in the general classification after six stages, but won the final two

Britain's Chris Froome confirmed he is in good form ahead of the Tour de France as he won Sunday's final stage of the Criterium du Dauphine in France to take the overall race victory.

Team Sky's Froome was in second place after the seventh stage but made up his 18-second deficit on Tejay van Garderen with a late attack on the final climb.

Froome also won in 2013 before going on to win the Tour de France that year.

After Sunday's win Froome said: "The Tour de France is the big objective."

The 30-year-old Kenya-born rider is aiming to win his second Tour title after crashing out on the fifth stage last year.

This year's Tour starts on 4 July and the 2013 champion added: "I think the team is ready and I think I'm almost ready. I'm really excited."

BMC rider Van Garderen finished second overall in the Criterium with Lampre's Rui Costa third, while Briton Simon Yates won the best young rider's jersey in fifth overall.

Orica-Green Edge rider Yates, 22 finished second on Sunday's stage, with Costa third and Van Garderen fourth.

Italian Astana rider Vincenzo Nibali, who won the Tour de France last year and is seen as one of Froome's main rivals for this year's race, suffered on Saturday's seventh stage and finished 12th, having taken the lead himself on Friday.

Meanwhile, in the Tour de Suisse, Team Sky's Geraint Thomas finished fifth in stage two to move up to second in the overall standings.

Stage 8 results

1. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) 3hrs 59mins 27secs

2. Simon Yates (GB/Orica) +18secs

3. Rui Costa (Por/Lampre) Same time

4. Tejay van Garderen (US/BMC Racing) Same time

5. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa/Katusha) +28secs

General Classification after stage 8:

1. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) 30hrs 59mins 02secs

2. Tejay van Garderen (US/BMC Racing) +10secs

3. Rui Costa (Por/Lampre) +1min 16secs

4. Benat Intxausti (Spa/Movistar) +1min 21secs

5. Simon Yates (GB/Orica) +1min 33secs

6. Romain Bardet (Fra/AG2R) +2mins 05secs

7. Daniel Martin (Ire/Cannondale) +2mins 52secs

8. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa/Katusha) +3mins 06secs

9. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Movistar) +3mins 12secs

10. Andrew Talansky (US/Cannondale) +4mins 17secs