Wednesday 19 July 2017 10:03, UK
Chris Froome faded badly on the final climb to surrender his grip on the yellow jersey as Romain Bardet won a thrilling stage 12 of the Tour de France in the Pyrenees.
Astana's Fabio Aru is the new race leader after he finished third, with Cannondale rider Rigoberto Uran second to Bardet following a brutal double climb to the finish line at the airstrip of Peyragudes in the Pyrenees.
The Italian is now six seconds clear of Froome, with Bardet third and a further 19 seconds back as the race was blown wide open following an absorbing 214.5km stage from Pau.
Only a few hundred metres long - the final climb featured gradients close to 20 percent, and after all the favourites reached the foot together - it was Bardet riding for AG2R who timed his attack to perfection.
Froome finished a lowly seventh, 22 seconds behind the Frenchman, who took 10 bonus seconds for the stage win.
It is the second time in his career that Froome has lost the yellow jersey mid-race, having lost it after stage four in 2015. Team Sky had held the yellow jersey since Geraint Thomas' time trial win in Dusseldorf on the opening day.
The fireworks in the fight for yellow came after Stephen Cummings fell short in his bid for a solo win on the 50th anniversary of Tom Simpson's death during the 1967 Tour.
Cummings had been part of a 12-man break which went away early on the stage, and he attacked solo on the climb of the Port de Bales, staying clear until midway up the Col de Peyresourde, when he was caught with eight kilometres of the stage remaining.
Froome and Aru had earlier briefly left the road after misjudging a corner on the descent from the Port de Bales, but the group of overall contenders waited on them to rejoin the group.
After Team Sky's Luke Rowe and Cristian Knees had paced the peloton for much of the day, Froome then had Vasil Kiryienka and Michal Kwiatkowski to help him up the Port de Bales before Mikel Landa took him to within 500m of the line.
It was a strategy which looked to have worked to perfection as all the other GC contenders were without help, but the three-time winner lost his legs in the final stages to allow Aru to take the yellow jersey for Friday's short stage through the mountains.
"I didn't have the legs. It's a nice victory for Romain Bardet, and hats off to Fabio Aru for taking the yellow jersey," said Froome. "I did my best but I didn't have the legs to follow."
Bardet was delighted with his day's work, adding: "It's a great joy. I had good legs but I was patient. "The team has never been so strong, we are a real factor in the race. Now we have to do our best in the final part."
Stage 12 result:
1 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 5:49:38"
2 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Cannondale-Drapac +2"
3 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team
4 Mikel Landa (Esp) Team Sky +5"
5 Louis Meintjes (Rsa) UAE Team Emirates +7"
6 Daniel Martin (Ire) Quick-Step Floors +13"
7 Chris Froome (Gbr) Team Sky +22"
8 George Bennett (NZ) LottoNL-Jumbo +27"
9 Simon Yates (Gbr) Orica-Scott
10 Mikel Nieve (Esp) Team Sky +1:28"
General Classification Standings:
1 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team 52:51:49"
2 Chris Froome (Gbr) Team Sky +6"
3 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale +25"
4 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Cannondale-Drapac +35"
5 Daniel Martin (Ire) Quick-Step Floors +1:41"
6 Simon Yates (Gbr) Orica-Scott +2:13"
7 Mikel Landa (Esp) Team Sky +2:55"
8 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team +4:01"
9 George Bennett (NZ) LottoNL-Jumbo) +4:04"
10 Louis Meintjes (Rsa) UAE Team Emirates +4:51"
