Froome extends lead in spite of second crash

Tour de france: Briton has to finish on team-mate’s bike, while Yates drops to fourth in GC

For a second time in this Tour de France Chris Froome crashed in the yellow jersey, but saw his overall lead increase as he closes in on a third title.

Team Sky’s Froome hit the deck inside the last 15km 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 climb on Mont Blanc.

AG2R La Mondiale’s Romain Bardet claimed the first French stage win of this Tour to move up to second overall, but several others crashed in a chaotic finish that shook up the general classification.

Adam Yates slipped from third to fourth having been dropped on the final climb, but retains the white jersey as the best young rider with one mountain stage left before the parade into Paris.

Trek-Segafredo’s Bauke Mollema dropped from second to 10th overall after a crash cost him more than four minutes.

Richie Porte launched a late attack, hoping to boost his podium hopes, but blew up as he felt the affects of an earlier crash and rolled home after Froome, leaving him fifth overall.

Froome now leads by four minutes and 11 seconds from Bardet.

Movistar’s Nairo Quintana is third, a further 16 seconds back.

Bardet won the stage by 23 seconds from Katusha’s Joaquim Rodriguez and Alejandro Valverde of Movistar.

Picture: Getty. Chris Froome finishing with Sky team-mate Wout Poels.