High drama in Pyrenees
TEAR gas in riders’ eyes. A farmers’ protest blocking the road. Two key crashes on dangerous descents.
The only thing lacking from the wild 16th stage of the Tour de France was a shake-up in the overall standings. Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe took advantage of his downhill skills to win the first of three mountainous legs in the Pyrenees, which was briefly interrupted when police used tear gas to disperse a farmers’ protest that had blocked the road with bales of hay.
The overall standings were unchanged. Geraint Thomas in the yellow jersey, second-placed Chris Froome and third-placed Tom Dumoulin all crossed together nearly nine minutes behind.
The small group of farmers from the Aude department were protesting a planned reduction of European Union funding.
Alaphilippe took the lead when Adam Yates crashed on a technical descent in the finale.
“I knew the finale was tricky,” Alaphilippe said. “I was sad for [Yates] but it could have happened to me, too ... I went all out for 220km today. I’m exhausted.”
Belgian rider Philippe Gilbert was leading when he crashed while descending from the Col de Portetd’Aspet, hitting a wall and flipping off his bike but avoiding major injury. It was the same descent where Italian rider Fabio Casartelli died during the 1995 Tour.