A muted pallor fell over the normally irrepressible colourful Tour in light of yesterday’s terror attack.
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Following Friday morning meetings with police, government, regional and security officials to discuss security arrangements, Tour director Christian Prudhomme vowed the race would continue “in sobriety and with dignity” – and there was a visibly stronger security presence. “We asked ourselves [if the stage should be cancelled] but we think, after agreeing with authorities, that the race must continue”.
The Tour continued under heightened security, which had already been ramped up for this year’s race.
The opening and finishing ceremonies were silent, as was the publicity caravan that precedes the race, and the presentation ceremony was uniquely understated in a mark of respect to the slain.
Riders set off at 7:05 a.m. (0805 GMT), but this time unaccompanied by the usual loud music played to energise the thousands lining the route of what is one of France’s most prestigious sporting events.
But with Bauke Mollema the next best among the general classification contenders, Froome is considerably more comfortable in yellow going into the weekend.
“It’s pretty clear today”, said Froome, who lives near Nice in Monaco, “everyone’s thoughts are with those affected down in Nice, and it’s hard for us to be talking about the race”.
“It’s the strangest moment of my career, it’s hard to talk about today’s stage”, Froome said afterwards.
Defending champion Chris Froome retained the overall leader’s yellow jersey on the Tour de France despite being left without a bike following an incident involving a motorbike in a farcical finale to the 12th stage on Thursday.
He said he felt particularly affected as he lives in Monaco, a short way along the Mediterranean coast from Nice. “It gives me a lot of confidence”. I do a lot of training on those roads and to see the Promenade (des Anglais) the way it was last night, with bodies all over the place, was just horrific.
“My thoughts go with all the families in Nice and those affected”.
Mollema displaced 23-year-old Adam Yates who had expected to lose time on the 37.5 kilometre test from Bourg-Saint-Andeol to La Caverne du Pont d’Arc.
Froome, second to the Dutch time trial specialist, was in a similar dark mood despite creating bigger gaps on all of his direct rivals with an impressive performance.
Dutchman Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) clocked 50 minutes 15 seconds, beating Froome by 1:03. Froome had attacked alongside BMC’s Richie Porte and Mollema, and the three were distancing their rivals before a motorbike was stopped by thick crowds on the mountain, and the three of them crashed into the back of it.
“It’s been a tough Tour so far”.
Porte said the fans are brilliant most of the time, but a minority can be a real hindrance: “We love the fans and 99% of them are brilliant but why do some of them need to take their selfies and run along beside us?”
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Froome also finished second in the stage, 0:01:03 behind Dumoulin, followed by Portugal’s Nelson Oliveira.
