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MONT-SAINT-MICHEL, France -- Going down a row of television cameras, answering one question after another, the wearer of the Tour de Frances yellow jersey never veered off message. Yes, said Chris Froome, he was delighted to have increased his race lead with a super-fast ride in the time trial. But, no, he added, the Tour isnt over yet because the road to Paris is still long. Froome is right about the long part -- Paris is still 1,661 kilometres away. But if Froome really believes there is any doubt that he will be standing on top of the podium on the Champs-Elysees on July 21, then he is part of a quickly shrinking minority. After Wednesdays time trial race against the clock to the medieval abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel -- among the most beautiful backdrops ever visited by the 110-year-old Tour -- the Briton has a lead that now appears unassailable. Looking like spacemen in their aerodynamic teardrop-shaped helmets and riding special go-fast bikes to better slice through the air, the 182 riders set off one after another from the Normandy town of Avranches, which the forces of U.S. Gen. George S. Patton liberated in World War II. Froome, as race leader, set out last. His skin-tight racing suit was yellow, so was his saddle, parts of his bike frame and a thick stripe down the middle of his otherwise black helmet. He puffed out his cheeks and licked his lips. The race starter held up five fingers and counted down. When the fingers were folded away, Froome raced off, powering past crowds several rows deep. Through a patchwork of fields green and gold he rode. Through tidal marshlands where sheep graze, giving their meat a tang of saltiness from the sea. Through picture-postcard villages of cottages built of dark granite. Not that he noticed. "During the race, you cant really take any of that in at all," he said. "You go into tunnel vision, and its just a blur of noise and colour around you." But with each push on his pedals, Froomes lead over his rivals grew. By the end, with Mont-Saint-Michel rising majestically in front of him from an islet off the Brittany coast, Froome wasnt far from catching Alejandro Valverde, even though the Spaniard set off three minutes earlier than him from Avranches. As Valverde was crossing the line in front of the abbey called the "Wonder of the West," the crowds could already be heard cheering for Froome, who zoomed in just one minute later. Although Valverde is still Froomes closest rival, its really no longer close. Froomes lead over the Spaniard more than doubled to three minutes 25 seconds. At the Tour, that might as well be light years. Froome would have to crash, suffer some other mishap or get sick and melt down on the towering Mont Ventoux and in the Alps next week for his rivals to catch him. "Once we get into the Alps, theres a run of a few days, back to back, which are going to be very hard," he said. "Im sure other teams are really going to test us." Svein Tuft of Langley, B.C., a time-trial specialist, finished sixth in Wednesdays stage in 38:04. Victorias Ryder Hesjedal remained the top Canadian in the overall classification in 41st place, 32:38 behind Froome. Quebec Citys David Veilleux was 130th overall, while Tuft was 178th. For the moment, two-time champion Alberto Contador still isnt ready to surrender to Froome -- even though hes essentially racing for second place. The time trials at this 100th Tour were shortened from those last year to try to maintain suspense in the outcome. But Contador still lost more than two minutes to Froome on the 33-kilometre course. He is now 3:54 behind Froome in fourth place. Dutch rider Bauke Mollema is third, 3:37 behind Froome. "No ones won the Tour de France yet and no ones lost it. We have to get to Paris yet," Contador said, perhaps more in hope than conviction. "Chris Froome is in impressive form and is a great climber, but there are still many stages left." The winner of Stage 11 was time trial world champion Tony Martin. The German collapsed exhausted after crossing the line and lay face-up on the asphalt, a towel covering his eyes, before slowly climbing back to his feet. A kid immediately got him to cough up an autograph. Martins white world champions jersey with rainbow stripes was so drenched with sweat that it turned translucent, revealing underneath scabs on his skin from a terrifying crash on Stage 1. Martin looked like he had been attacked by a vegetable peeler after that pileup, because he lost so much skin on his back from scrapping along the asphalt. The pain robbed him of sleep. His mother, Bettina Martin, said she was "very shocked, very worried." But because the Tour isnt just any old race, Martin said he felt compelled to continue after doctors gave the OK to do so. It also helped that he had conditioned himself before the race to expect a crash. "I kept in mind before the Tour that I would crash one or two times in the first week. Its more or less usual to crash. So if you are ready for it, I think with a lot of morale, I think you can survive this." The only ugliness on this otherwise spectacular stage was that a roadside spectator apparently sprayed urine at British rider Mark Cavendish as he was riding the course, said Patrick Lefevere, manager of his Omega Pharma-Quick Step team. Froome noted that one of the attractions of cycling is that spectators get close to the athletes. The Cavendish incident "ruins the whole atmosphere." 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At a news conference Tuesday where it was thought that the fiery Schallibaum may be shown the door after a dismal finish to the Major League Soccer season, team president Joey Saputo said no decision has been made on whether the Swiss Volcano will be back in 2014. Roger Clemens Jersey . -- Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar will be out for roughly four weeks after tearing his left hamstring. Zimbabwe 164 and 121 for 5 (Ervine 49*, Raza 37) trail New Zealand 576 for 6 dec (Taylor 173*, Watling 107, Latham 105) by 291 runsScorecard and ball-by-ball detailsRoss Taylor and BJ Watling took 299 and 172 deliveries respectively to rack up 173* and 107 - their second hundreds against Zimbabwe - and build an advantage New Zealand may have considered unassailable. Tim Southee and Trent Boult took four Zimbabwean wickets for 10 runs in the space of 18 balls, and likely ensure the 412-run lead is more than enough.Zimbabwes top order were blown away by swing and teetered on 17 for 4. Given their first-innings collapse, a three-day finish seemed imminent. But Craig Ervine equalled his highest Test score - 49 - and formed partnerships with Sikandar Raza and Graeme Cremer to allow the hosts to live to fight another day.Taking the match into the fourth day was Zimbabwes second small success after they removed nightwatchman Ish Sodhi in the second over of the day. They did not see the back of another New Zealand batsman until 15 minutes after tea, when Watling dragged Raza to deep square leg. By then, the New Zealand wicketkeeper had a century, Taylor had 173* and their partnership - a chanceless stand headlined by crisp cuts, powerful pulls and careful strike rotation - had reached 253.On its own, it was worth 89 runs more than Zimbabwes first-innings total. Combined with the 79-run opening stand, the 156 runs Tom Latham and Kane Williamson added for the second wicket, and other small contributions, it put the match beyond Zimbabwe, who were kept under the Bulawayo sun for 166.5 overs.Their second new ball was under six overs old when the day began and Donald Tiripano and Michael Chinouya started promisingly with it. Both showed marked improvement from their second-day performances and made the batsmen play at more deliveries by tightening their lines. Chinouya reaped some reward when Sodhi played an uncertain drive and edged to substitute wicketkeeper Brian Chari.Sensing an opportunity to get into New Zealands lower order, the pair tried the short ball but without the pace or the discipline to back it up, it was wasted. Too often, they offered their deliveries with width, allowing the batsmen to cut. Other balls were misdirected and invited the pull, a shot both Taylor and Watling played comfortably. Their ease against the short ball only highlighted Zimbabwes deficiencies when faced with the same.With the seamers struggling, Graeme Cremer brought himself on. He did not manage as much of the turn and bounce he got on the second day, but Taylor and Watling were still cautious against him.It was only towards the end of the first session, when heavy legs caused Zimbabwes fielders to make several fumbles, that the pair upped the scoring rate.dddddddddddd. Taylor took on the more aggressive role and showed his authority against Cremer while Watling hung back and rotated strike. By lunch, the lead was over 250 and the pair well settled.They returned after the break to deal for another careful five overs before opening up. The next 15 overs brought 61 runs at over four runs per over. In that time, Taylor brought up his century with a signature square cut. His second fifty only took him 83 balls, compared to his first for which he faced 108.Watling went into the tea break on 95 and brought up his century four overs later with a top-edge off a pull - the shot he had played so comfortably through his innings. The pair were given some freedom to bat on but managed only one more shot in anger before Watling holed out and Williamson called his men in, leaving Zimbabwe with a tough task to make New Zealand bat again.They decided to take on the challenge head on and played their strongest hand by promoting their most experienced batsman Hamilton Masakadza to open. Brian Chari, who does not keep regularly and spent five sessions behind the stumps doing the job, was given some time to recover but he did not have too long.Masakadza drove the first ball he faced for four but then edged the third, which moved away from him, to first slip to end a disappointing Test for him. Chari was in at No.3 and handled the first five balls he faced before a Boult inswinger snuck through the bat-pad gap and took out his off stump.Chamu Chibhabha also failed to handle Boults movement and poked at one that moved away to give Taylor a second catch, low and to his left. With his next ball, Boult angled it in to Prince Masvaure, who was hit on the pad in front of middle stump.Sikandar Raza sliced the hat-trick ball through the covers for four and settled Zimbabwes nerves somewhat. Raza and Ervine took a totally different approach to what may be expected from a side on the back foot, and played an aggressive range of strokes. They scored at 7.8 runs to the over and swiped their bats at anything, be it full or short. Raza fell on his sword when he top-edged a short ball and walked off before the catch was taken.With news that Regis Chakbva and Sean Williams, neither of whom fielded at all because of illness, will be available to bat on the fourth day, Ervine will be hopeful of reaching a milestone and more, even if in vain. ' ' '