Tour de France 2017: Bardet wins in Peyragudes, Aru takes yellow

At 214.5 kilometres, the 12th stage of the Tour de France takes in five intermediate cols in the Pyrenees to finish uphill in Peyragudes after a punchy last climb of 2.4 kilometres at 8.4%. Aru attacks in the last kilometre, but Bardet counter-attacks and powers to victory. Aru can take relief: he is the new man in yellow. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 12th stage 2017 Tour de France

1. Romain Bardet (fra)
2. Rigoberto Uran (col) + 0.02
3. Fabio Aru (ita) s.t.
4. Mikel Landa (spa) + 0.05
5. Louis Meintjes (rsa) + 0.07
6. Daniel Martin (irl) + 0.13
7. Chris Froome (gbr) + 0.22
8. George Bennett (nzl) + 0.27
9. Simon Yates (gbr) s.t.
10. Mikel Nieve (spa) + 1.28

11. Nairo Quintana (col) + 2.04
12. Warren Barguil (fra) + 2.08
13. Damiano Caruso (ita) + 2.11
14. Alberto Contador (spa) + 2.15
15. Pierre Latour (fra) + 2.59

GC after the 12th stage
1. Fabio Aru (ita)
2. Chris Froome (gbr) + 0.06
3. Romain Bardet (fra) + 0.25
4. Rigoberto Uran (col) + 0.35
5. Daniel Martin (irl) + 1.41
6. Simon Yates (gbr) + 2.13
7. Mikel Landa (spa) + 2.55
8. Nairo Quintana (col) + 4.01
9. George Bennett (nzl) + 4.04
10. Louis Meintjes (rsa) + 4.51

11. Alberto Contador (spa) + 7.14

Race report
At km 20 the break of the day takes shape. On board are Kittel, Matthews, Erviti, Cummings, De Gendt, Gautier, De Kort, Ulissi, Bauer, Politt, Simon and Küng. When cresting the first climb, Côte de Capvern, the twelve riders enjoy a lead of almost 5 minutes, which widens to 6 minutes atop Col des Ares. On the flanks of the Col de Menté Kittel is dropped and it’s once again down to 5 minutes on the summit.

Before tackling the Port de Balès – 11,7 kilometer at 7.7% – Matthews is dropped from the front group.

With 35 kms remaining the front group is down to De Gendt, Küng, Gautier and Cummings when the Flemish solo-expert heads out on his own. Cumming bridges over to leave De Gendt alone after 2 kms. The GC guys are less than 3 minutes in arrears when Fuglsang can’t follow the pace.

Cummings crests 1 minute ahead of De Gendt and Gautier and 2 minutes ahead of the main group. Gautier hits the deck in the descent and De Gendt stops his efforts.

Down in the valley there is no time to recover as the next climb waits: Col de Peyresourde, 9.7 kilometres at 7.8%. Quintana drops early on and Cummings is reeled in with 9 kms remaining, while Contador drops just before the summit.

The climb up to the line in Peyragudes is 2.4 kilometres at 8.4%, while the final haul to the line is on an inhumanly steep ramp. That’s where the Tour de France puts on a different mask. Bardet counter-attacks after a strong effort by Aru. Uran moves to the fore, too, and Froome struggles to lose 22 seconds in a few hundred metres.

Bardet powers to the win, 2 seconds ahead of Uran and Aru, and they all take times bonuses. Aru now leads the Tour de France 6 seconds ahead of Froome. Bardet moves closer and is just 25 seconds down to the yellow.