Froome showed no ill effects from the chaotic finish to stage 12 on Mont Ventoux – when he was reduced to running up the mountain on foot following a crash – as he finished 63 seconds behind Dumoulin’s stage-winning time of 50 minutes 15 seconds.

The time trial took place in a subdued atmosphere with a heavy police presence following the terrorist attack in Nice on Thursday night.

Dutchman Bauke Mollema was the next best placed of the general classification contenders and moves up to second overall, now one minute and 47 seconds off Froome.

Mollema displaced 23-year-old Briton Adam Yates who had expected to lose time on this 37.5 kilometre test from Bourg-Saint-Andeol to La Caverne du Pont d’Arc, and duly conceded almost two minutes to Froome – at least less than the four minutes he predicted.

Movistar’s Nairo Quintana also lost out, slipping to two minutes and 59 seconds off yellow although the Colombian is still in fourth place.

Twenty four hours before he crossed the line here, Froome had been caught in a chaotic and bizarre end to stage 12 on Mont Ventoux when he crashed along with Mollema and former team-mate Richie Porte when a television motorbike was caught in huge crowds on the mountain.

After briefly racing up the mountain on foot before changing bikes, Froome lost almost two minutes – enough to cost him the yellow jersey – until the race jury intervened and he came out with an increased lead, 47 seconds over Yates.

It was not known if Froome had suffered any injuries in the incident, but there was little sign of that as he turned in a strong ride to increase his advantage.