We’re not really sure where to start with this one, so let’s begin with the facts.
Chris Froome is still in yellow in the Tour de France after a farcical end to Thursday’s 12th stage at Mount Ventoux.
That much we know. But it has taken a jury decision – cycling’s answer to a stewards’ enquiry – to keep Froome in the lead after a downright bizarre end to the stage saw him lose 1 min 21 seconds and drop to sixth place in the general classification.
The defending champion was forced to run – that’s right, run – 600m the final climb after a ridiculous crash saw him lose his bike.
It’s one of the most bizarre scenes to place on the Tour for many years.
The crash came after the television camera motorbike collided with some fans and stage leader Ritchie Porte hit into the back of it, taking down Dutchman Bauke Mollema.
Froome swerved to avoid the crash but fell and a second motorbike ran over the race leader’s bike and broke the frame.
https://twitter.com/CyclingHubTV/status/753604592215228416
Froome was unable to clip himself back into his bike, so he took off on foot while he waited for the Team Sky support car to catch up with him to give him a new bike.
https://twitter.com/SimonNRicketts/status/753604926757040128
The 31-year-old eventually got a replacement bike from a neutral service car but that was too small for him and he could barely move. Eventually a Team Sky car showed up, gave him a new bike and he finished the stage 6 min 45 secs behind Thomas De Gendt .
Britain’s Adam Yates was the new race leader (briefly) with Froome back in sixth with his hopes of a third Tour title in tatters.
Froome down to 6th in GC if provisional result stands following chaos just now. For now, Adam Yates is leading Tour de France
— Dan Roan (@danroan) July 14, 2016
That’s until the jury stepped and gave Froome the same time as Mollema and Porte, but not before Twitter lost its collective mind at one of the most ridiculous scenes in recent sporting memory.
If Froome had a bath this morning, does that mean he has now effectively done a triathlon today?
— Jon Mulkeen (@Statman_Jon) July 14, 2016
So does Froome warm down on a treadmill today?
— The Broom Wagon (@broomwagonblog) July 14, 2016
https://twitter.com/russbengtson/status/753605080465702912
Froome very lucky no riders punched him for running too close to them.
— John Bradley (@johnwbradley) July 14, 2016
Ireland’s Dan Martin also had a bad day, dropping to ninth in the overall standings after a slog of an afternoon on the mountain.
