Chris Froome risked losing the yellow jersey after his bike was broken in a freaky crash at the wild conclusion to the 12th stage of the Tour de France on Thursday. Froome was then given a spare Team Sky bike on which he completed the 178-km stage, losing over a minute to his main rivals, only for the race jury to rule that he would be credited with the same time as the two riders he was with when the incident occurred.
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The finish had been reduced by six kilometres yesterday due to high winds to slightly dampen expectations of a key general classification battle on the historic climb, but the iconic ascent descended quickly into a farce after an incident with a race motorbike.
The two-time Tour victor eventually got a replacement bike and crossed the line way behind Mollema and Porte in a time that would have handed the yellow jersey to young Briton Adam Yates.
Briton Froome was with Australian Richie Porte and Bauke Mollema of the Netherlands when all three crashed into a motorcycle that was brought to a standstill by a wall of fans.
Mollema and Froome also tumbled and the Briton’s bike was broken in the incident.
Porte hit the motorbike with Froome next and Mollema also running into the back of the vehicle.
“The motorbike could not progress and there was a pile-up in which Chris’s bike was broken”, said Team Sky sports director Nicolas Portal. Belgian Antoine Demoitie died after being run over by a race motorbike during the Gent-Wevelgem classic in March.
Colombian rider, Nairo Quintana (Trek-Segafredo), who benefited from the crash, rose to third 0:00:14 behind Yates. He got another bike in less than a minute and another replacement in order to finish the stage. I can’t understand how so many people were allowed there. “It’s got nothing to do with sport”, the Frenchman said.
Gerrans, 36, was leading the peloton chasing a 13-man breakaway on the dramatic Tour 12th stage when he crashed on a fast descent leading to the final climb up Mont Ventoux.
“It’s not one, two or 10 but for 200-metres there were hundreds of fans”.
The Tour de France has since reminded crowds not to impede riders by getting too close to them as they pass by.
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The race’s first time trial comes on Friday with a hilly 37.5-kilometer (23-mile) leg from Bourg-Saint-Andeol to La Caverne du Pont-D’Arc, where Froome will be looking to add to his lead in calmer circumstances. In the seventh stage, Yates struck a fallen distance marker.
