The 12th stage of the Tour de France saw Briton Tom Pidcock win alone on Thursday July 14. In this mountain race between Briançon and Alpe d’Huez, the new yellow jersey Jonas Vingegaard did not give in to the attacks of Tadej Pogacar. The Dane remains in yellow with the same lead of 2’22 over the Slovenian, his runner-up. The Frenchman Romain Bardet comes out of the podium.
After the formidable day of Wednesday, which saw the Jumbo-Visma team dispossess Tadej Pogacar of the yellow jersey to offer it to Jonas Vingegaard, the stage of this Thursday, July 14 was eagerly awaited. With a 165.1 kilometer long route and an arrival at Alpe d’Huez, the stage was set for a new fireworks display on this national holiday in France. The scenario was still less incredible than the day before.
For his first participation in the Grande Boucle, Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) distinguished himself by mastering this race and the entire climb of Alpe d’Huez. The 22-year-old cyclo-cross world champion won alone, 48 seconds ahead of South African Louis Meintjes, at an altitude of 1,850m. Christopher Froome took third place, finishing 2’06 behind his compatriot Pidcock. This is the first podium for the Briton in four years for the quadruple winner of the Grande Boucle.
A little behind, the fight between Vingegaard and Pogacar was not as daunting as Wednesday. Now leader, the Dane did not give up anything to his Slovenian opponent. Twice, Tadej Pogacar attacked on the last climb, hoping to make up for the 2’22 deficit he had on Jonas Vingegaard. But the latter, in his wheel, responded present each time. Together they crossed the finish line. The French Romain Bardet, he weakened in the last kilometers and dropped about twenty seconds. Result: he fell from second to fourth place in the general classification.
Jonas Vingegaard remains in power with still 2’22 ahead of the double title holder, Tadej Pogacar, his new runner-up. Geraint Thomas is third, 2’26 from the yellow jersey. On Friday, it’s time for a flat stage between Le Bourg d’Oisans and Saint-Étienne.