Team Sky's Chris Froome says that he has "no excuses" for slipping behind on the Peyragudes finish on stage 12 and losing the Tour de France's yellow leader's jersey, saying that he just lacked the power.
Froome slipped behind by 22 seconds when arriving at the summit finish and with the time bonuses lost, moved to second overall at six seconds behind Fabio Aru (Astana).
>>> Five talking points from stage 12 of the Tour de France
"It was certainly a tough day for me in the final," Froome said. "My team-mates did such an amazing job for me today, but I didn't have the legs to finish it of.
"No excuses, I just didn't have the legs on the final kick."
Froome had his team work over the Port de Balès and Col de Peyresourde climbs. Michal Kwiatkowski pulled with a huge effort, Mikel Nieve and Mikel Landa followed.
Sky appeared in control, not even a little slip on the descent when Nieve went off road and Froome and Aru followed could disrupt Froome's yellow run.
"There was a bit of a tight turn at the bottom of the climb, a couple of us just overshot the corner," said Froome. "I just had to go onto the grass, and turn around and come back on."
He led by 18 seconds at the start of the day, but that changed on the short and steep final kick to Peyragudes's airstrip.
"It's brutal. Ramps of over 20 per cent, that's a really hard, hard finish," Froome continued. "I can only say congratulations to Romain Bardet for winning the stage and also to Fabio Aru for taking the jersey. The race is certainly on, now."
Froome just finished his warm-down and would have been thinking "what now?"
For the first time in the race, Sky does not have the yellow jersey after its run with Geraint Thomas and Froome.
Anything appears possible tomorrow with Aru leading by 22 seconds over Froome, 25 seconds over Bardet and 55 seconds over Rigoberto Urán (Cannondale-Drapac).
The tightly packed leading group faces a short 101-kilometre mountain stage on Friday to Foix, stages in the Alps next week and in Froome’s favour, a final 22.5-kilometre time trial in Marseille next Saturday.
Froome added, "It's certainly going to be a big fight now from here to Paris."
Gregor Brown is an experienced cycling journalist, based in Florence, Italy. He has covered races all over the world for over a decade - following the Giro, Tour de France, and every major race since 2006. His love of cycling began with freestyle and BMX, before the 1998 Tour de France led him to a deep appreciation of the road racing season.
-
-
Chris Boardman becomes the first commissioner of Active Travel England
Former cyclist will head up the new cycling and walking body, which is responsible for £5.5 million investment in active travel schemes
-
'Well, I'm getting off here': Miguel Ángel López's final moments with Movistar seen in snippet of latest documentary season
The Colombian responds to the release of the trailer, making light of the incident
-
Chris Froome and Philippe Gilbert save fan who fell down ravine on Tour de France stage 17
The incident occurred on the descent of the Col du Portet as the riders made their way back to the buses
-
Will Richard Carapaz ride the Vuelta a España 2021?
The Ineos Grenadiers rider is third overall in the Tour de France, but may already be looking ahead to his next goal
-
Chris Froome: 'I've got my running shoes in the car so I'm ready for Ventoux'
The four-time Tour de France champion looks back on the last time the race went up Mont Ventoux
-
Mark Cavendish says ‘people will not understand mindset’ of Chris Froome as he chases Tour de France comeback
‘I can talk from personal experience, you can’t write somebody off’
-
Chris Froome 'heading in the right direction' despite dark bruising on hip and chest
The four-time champion says he can never remember seeing so many injured riders in the peloton
-
Early GC time gaps don't make much difference to eventual Tour de France podium, argues Ineos' Michał Kwiatkowski
The Polish super domestique says the British team were prepared to spend more energy early to keep GC riders safe, but even that can prove insufficient at the Tour de France
-
Luke Rowe explains why he was handed fine on Tour de France stage three
The British rider was fined by commissaries for 'assault, intimidation, insults, threats, improper conduct'
-
Tour de France bikes: Chris Froome’s custom Factor Ostro VAM
Magura disc-brake calipers feature alongside old favourites such as Osymetric chainrings and Lightweight Meilenstein wheels
