Froome crashes but increases lead
For a second time in this Tour de France Chris Froome crashed in the yellow jersey but saw his overall lead increase regardless as he closes in on a third title.
Team Sky’s Froome hit the deck inside the last 15 kilometres of the 146km stage 19 from Albertville to Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc and was forced to finish on team-mate Geraint Thomas’ bike, with his rivals looking to put him under pressure on the final climb on Mont Blanc as the rips in his yellow jersey revealed his scars.
But while AG2R La Mondiale’s Romain Bardet claimed the first French stage win of this Tour to move up to second overall, several others crashed in a chaotic finish that shook up the general classification standings.
Adam Yates slipped from third to fourth having been dropped on the final climb, although the 23-year-old Briton retains the white jersey as the best young rider with one mountain stage left before the traditional parade into Paris.