Chris Froome pulls off stunning victory in Criterium du Dauphine

Froome, the 2013 Tour de France champion, was involved in an epic duel with yellow jersey holder Tejay van Garderen on the 156km final stage of the race from Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc to Modane Valfréjus.

Having started the day 18 seconds behind Van Garderen, Froome knew that he needed a big win to claim both the final stage and the General Classification - and he beat his opponent handsomely, the 17 second margin plus the bonus seconds for winning the stage enough to secure a memorable win.

"I can't believe it, I mean it's really... I couldn't have expected to go any better today," said Froome.

"Of course the leg were really tired after yesterday and I think everyone, the whole team was suffering because of the work they did yesterday.

"But my team-mates were just fantastic, right up until the last moment when I could attack and I've put pressure on Tejay."

Froome's outstanding form in uphill finishes over the last two days of the race will sound a clear warning to his rivals that the British star is back at his very best, and will be one of the main contenders for the Tour de France which begins on July 4.

Froom made his move 2.5 km from the finish in the final climb to Valfrejus and never looked back.

He quickly swallowed fellow Briton Stephen Cummings (MTN Qhubeka), who had spent the day in the breakaway, and distanced yellow jersey holder Tejay van Garderen.

Team Sky rider Froome, who also prevailed in Saturday's uphill finish in St Gervais, beat another Briton, Simon Yates (Orica GreenEDGE), to take the day's laurels with an 18-second advantage.

At the end of Sunday's 156.5-km trek from St Gervais, Van Garderen was fourth, behind Costa, both 18 seconds behind Froome.

Overall, Froome beat Van Garderen (BMC) by 10 seconds with Portugal's Rui Costa (Lampre) in third place one minute 16 seconds off the pace.

"The Tour de France is the big objective," said Froome, who achieved the Dauphine-Tour double in 2013. "I think the team is ready and I think I'm almost ready. I'm really excited."

Among his main Tour de France rivals, defending Tour champion Vincenzo Nibali looked far from his best.

The Italian took 12th place, 4:32 behind Froome after being unable to follow the best in the climbs on Saturday and Sunday as well as in Thursday's fifth stage to Pra Loup.

Nibali, however, also looked under-par last year in the Dauphine before going on to smash his rivals on the Tour.

Spain's Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) finished ninth, 3:12 adrift. Exciting prospects Romain Bardet of France (AG2R La Mondiale) and Yates were sixth and fifth respectively.

Other Tour contenders were not racing the Dauphine, the most prestigious warm-up event for the three-week extravaganza.

Leading favourite Nairo Quintana (Movistar) of Colombia and double Tour winner Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) of Spain, who won last month's Giro d'Italia, will take part in La Route du Sud in France next week.

Frenchman Thibaut Pinot (FDJ), third in last year's Tour, is riding the Tour de Suisse where he is among the best after two stages on Sunday.