Crazy day for Mont Ventoux today. First the race was shortened by 6 km because of the winds at the summit. The fans were crazy and full of energy, despite the wind.
When Chris Froome came up the climb, he was way behind the leaders and Adam Yates had won the stage. But then it turned out because of the fans, a motorbike had had to stop short to avoid hitting some fans and Richie Porte and Chris Froome crashed into the moto and Froome’s bike was broken. He had to change bikes. Because of that, the officials decided to award the time back to Froome, so he still has the yellow jersey.
DeGent
The stage was won by Thomas DeGent who was followed up the climb by Serge Pauwels and Daniel Navarro.
Yates
“What a final. In the final kilometre, the moto braked suddenly in front of us, and Richie, Bauke and I crashed into it, and then the moto behind me ran over my bike and broke it,” Froome said. “I said to myself ‘I have no bike’. And I knew the car with my bike was 5 minutes behind on the road, so I need to run.
“I’m very happy with the commissaires’ decision. I think it was correct so thank you to them.”
Yates is okay with the decision. He said he wouldn’t want to win in that way.
