Lotto Soudal’s Thomas De Gendt won the 12th stage of the 2016 Tour de France on Mont Ventoux on Bastille Day today.
De Gendt, from Belgium, was followed home by compatriot Serge Pauwels on the 178km stage from Montpellier (Dimension Data) with Spain’s Daniel Navarro (Cofidis) rounding out the podium.
Chris Froome (Team Sky) suffered an upset just before the finish line when there was a collision with a television motorbike, which resulted in him having to run up the road while calling for a new bike.
Chris Froome running to the finish line on stage 12 of the Tour de France after suffering a collision with a motorbike. Photo: SuperSport
Britain’s Adam Yates (Orica-BikeExchange) took the lead in the provisional overall standings, nine seconds ahead of Dutchman Bauke Mollema (Trek Factory Racing) and 14 in front of Colombian climber Nairo Quintana (Movistar).
“I had the feeling that I had to go into the break today. We knew it would be a day where three guys go into the break and get brought with 20km to go, or that it will be a big break,” said De Gendt.
“My feeling said I had to go and my feeling was correct today.”
De Gendt rated his victory on top of Mont Ventoux alongside his win on the Stelvio in the Giro d’Italia, which helped him secure third overall four years ago.
“The Stelvio was more emotional for me but I put them on the same level,” he said, while dedicating the victory to his team-mate Stig Broeckx who suffered severe brain damage in a crash in May.
Stage 12 results
1. Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal) 4:31:51
2. Serge Pauwels (Dimension Data) 2″
3. Daniel Navarro Garcia (Cofidis) 14″
4. Stef Clement (IAM Cycling) 40″
5. Sylvain Chavanel (Direct Energie)
6. Bert-Jan Lindeman (Team LottoNL – Jumbo) 2’52”
7. Daniel Teklehaimanot (Dimension Data) 3’13”
8. Sep Vanmarcke (LottoNL-Jumbo) 3’26”
9. Chris Anker Sørensen (Fortuneo – Vital Concept) 4’23”
10. Bauke Mollema (Trek – Segafredo) 5’05”
Selected
13. Louis Meintjes (Lampre – Merida)
57. Daryl Impey (Orica-BikeExchange) 18’32”
82. Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (Dimension Data)
General classification
1. Adam Yates (Orica-BikeExchange) 57:12:20
2. Bauke Mollema (Trek – Segafredo) 9″
3. Nairo Quintana (Movistar Team) 14″
4. Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale) 28″
5. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar Team) 52″
6. Christopher Froome (Team Sky) 53″
7. Tejay Van Garderen (BMC Racing Team) 57″
8. Fabio Aru (Astana Pro Team) 1’07”
9. Daniel Martin (Etixx – Quick Step) 1’09”
10. Joaquim Rodríguez (Team Katusha) 1’24”
Selected
12. Louis Meintjes (Lampre – Merida) 2’29”
38. Daryl Impey (Orica-BikeExchange) 46’38”
116. Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (Dimension Data) 1:55:15
Point classification
1. Peter Sagan (Tinkoff Team) 309 points
2. Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) 219
3. Marcel Kittel (Etixx – Quick-Step) 202
King of the mountains
1. Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal) 89 points
2. Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) 80
3. Rafal Majka (Tinkoff Team) 77
See Tour de France for more news, results and photos.
