In a complete embarrassment for race organisers on Bastille Day, Porte crashed into a motorbike carrying a TV camera and Froome, who was following right behind his former teammate, also crashed in the final kilometre on the wind-shortened climb to Mont Ventoux.
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After a crash between a motorbike and tour leader Chris Froome, Froome began running up Mont Ventoux without his bike.
Froome’s bike was broken in the incident and as the others picked themselves up, he desperately looked around for assistance before setting off running up the road.
He dismounted the bike and waited a few seconds for his Team Sky vehicle to arrive at the 400 meter banner, then completed the stage on a spare bike.
Froome and Mollema followed, with Froome’s bike then hit by a motorbike following behind.
The crash happened less than 1 kilometer to the finish line.
Froome now leads by 47 seconds from Yates, with Mollema third at 56 seconds behind and Quintana fourth, one minute and one second back.
“Awaiting jury decision”, Froome tweeted, but later added: “Still in the #YellowJersey”. Nobody would have wanted to take the yellow jersey like this so it’s a good decision the jury has taken. “We think Froome’s sheer determination in the face of adversity will have won him many fans and he is still overwhelming favourite to win the yellow jersey”. “I’d rather take it with my legs and not a crash in a bad situation”.
Froome’s Sky team manager Dave Brailsford told French TV that the decision had rewarded those who were strongest on the day.
“We took an exceptional decision because of this exceptional situation, an incident that might have never happened before in 100 years”, said Tour director Christian Prudhomme, explaining that the wind prevented organizers from erecting the usual barriers at the end of most stages. “Thanks to them and thanks to the Tour de France organisation”.
The cycling season has been marred by incidents involving motorbikes.
“It was a nightmare”, said Portal.
The initial replacement bike was too small for him, so he had to have a third bike taken to him. I cant understand how so many people were allowed there.
Prudhomme called on fans to be more careful.
“It was insane. On a 200-metre portion there were hundreds of spectators blocking the road”.
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Froome will have the opportunity to extend his lead in Friday’s 13th stage, a 37.5-km individual time trial from Bourg Saint Andeol and La Caverne du Pont d’Arc.
