American Andrew Talansky (Cannondale-Garmin) was second and Riogberto Uran (Etixx-QuickStep) third, but the more significant action took place in the Froome group.
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It proved costly as he slipped behind Geraint Thomas (Sky) in the general classification.
That stage also pre-shadowed this year’s in that Merckx had been subjected to roadside abuse – he was punched the previous day as they climbed the Puy de Dôme, and his injuries were arguably a factor in his collapse on Pra Loup.
At about 40 kilometers into the 161-kilometer stage, van Garderen began to fall behind the main peloton.
Alejandro Valverde of Spain, Quintana’s Movistar teammate who has been riding strongly, rose from fourth to third overall, 4:09 behind Froome.
Team Sky attempted to wrest back control of the PR agenda yesterday by releasing Chris Froome’s performance data after suspicions about the British rider were raised on French television on Sunday night.
Making up that much time by attacking in the final climbs is highly unlikely to unsettle Froome, who might be thrown off balance if his rivals take their chance earlier in the stage.
Geschke had a one-minute advantage over Pinot when he crested the summit, with Froome’s group more than 10 minutes adrift.
He was second when crashing but was tentative thereafter and had lost four places by the foot of the descent.
He’s up to seventh, due to Van Garderen’s abandonment, but closing in on sixth-placed Robert Geesink.
Tour de France 2015 just finished another stage.
Froome was 18th behind his nearest challenger Nairo Quintana but their gap remains constant at 3:10.
Sky were again put under pressure, this time from relatively early on, in an absorbing game of tactics about 10 minutes behind the fight for the stage, won by the German Simon Geschke.
The Tour de France pack is off and running on the first of four grueling days in the Alps with Chris Froome looking to protect his yellow jersey from his biggest rivals. Quintana stays next overall – even now three:ten at the rear of Froome – but was extremely lively in excess of the day’s five climbs, testing Froome with bursts of speed that the 2013 Tour victor was compelled to match.
Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) lost more time after a crash on the challenging descent of the day’s penultimate climb, the Col d’Allos. Eventually, the Colombian edged the maillot jaune-holder to the finish line, but Froome will be delighted to have another potentially hard stage ticked off as he bids to win this coveted competition for the second time.
“It was incredible it worked out, I still can’t believe it actually”, said Geschke. So unless someone else takes up the chase in the peloton the breakaway look to be the favourite to ride away with the stage victory.
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Froome, though, admitted he was surprised by the tactics not only shown by Movistar, but also Contador and Nibali.
