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Tour de France: Chris Froome increases lead despite penalty

Last updated on .From the section Cyclingcomments353

Chris Froome

Chris Froome was penalised 20 seconds for taking food in the final 5km of stage 18 but still extended his lead in the Tour de France by 37 seconds.

With Froome struggling on the second climb of the Alpe d'Huez, his team-mate Richie Porte dropped back to the team car to get an energy bar for Froome.

Porte broke the rules, but Froome was also docked time by race commissaires.

France's Christophe Riblon won the showpiece 18th stage for the first home win of this year's race.

Despite a rare sign of weakness, Froome finished 57 seconds ahead of second-placed Alberto Contador and, even after his time penalty, extended his overall lead over the Spaniard to five minutes 11 seconds.

The Tour marked its 100th edition by climbing the iconic Alpe twice in the same day for the first time in its history.

Froome attacked and dropped Contador at the start of his second ascent of a mountain steeped in Tour history, but needed help from Porte after running out of energy before reaching the end of the climb through the Alpe's famous 21 switchbacks.

"It was a difficult stage," Froome said. "When I signalled for help, I needed sugar and I was thankful that Richie was there."

Colombia's Nairo Quintana attacked as Froome refuelled, and finished one minute six seconds ahead of him, enough for the Tour debutant to move third overall, just 21 seconds behind Contador.

"I still haven't won a stage yet but I am very happy with my performance," said Quintana, who tightened his grip on the white jersey, for the best-placed rider aged 25 or under.

By the time the race reached the Alpe for the first time, Froome had already come under pressure from Contador's Saxo Tinkoff team-mates, who set a furious pace in the first hour of the 172.5km stage.

Froome was briefly isolated from his Team Sky team-mates but kept his cool and also remained calm when Contador attacked on the descent of Col de Sarenne, the twisting mountain pass which linked the two ascents of the Alpe.

Contador pulled 20 seconds clear of Froome at one point, but was caught after a bike change before reaching the bottom of the Alpe for the second time.

As the riders battled up the Alpe again, through hundreds of thousands of fans, Froome launched his attack and Contador could not respond.

At that point, Froome looked as strong as he did when he won the previous two mountain-top finishes on this year's Tour, at Ax 3 Domaines and on Mont Ventoux, but this time he could not stay with Quintana or Joaquim Rodriguez.

Ahead of them, the last three survivors of a nine-strong break that escaped early in the day were battling it out for the accolade of a stage win on top of the Alpe.

Riblon, who crashed into a stream on his way down Col de Sarenne, took the honours, overhauling a tiring Tejay van Garderen with the American less than 2km from the finish.

"To raise my arms aloft at L'Alpe d'Huez is incredible,'' Riblon said. "With five kilometres to go, I thought I had lost it.''

Froome has just 447km (277 miles) of the Tour's total distance of 3,404km (2,115 miles) between him and the finish line on the Champs-Elysees on Sunday, but he must survive two more days in the high mountains of the Alps before the procession into Paris.

Friday's stage sees the riders go up four more tough climbs - including the Col du Glandon and Col de la Madeleine - as part of a 204km (129-mile) route from Le Bourg-d'Oisans to Le Grand-Bornand.

"It is possibly the toughest day of the Tour de France," said Froome.

Results of stage 18:

1. Christophe Riblon (France/AG2R) 4:51:32"

2. Tejay van Garderen (U.S./BMC Racing) +59"

3. Moreno Moser (Italy/Cannondale) +1:27"

4. Nairo Quintana (Colombia/Movistar) +2:12"

5. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spain/Katusha) +2:15"

6. Richie Porte (Australia/Team Sky) +3:18"

7. Chris Froome (Britain/Team Sky) +3:18"

8. Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) +3:22"

9. Mikel Nieve (Spain/Euskaltel) +4:15"

10. Jakob Fuglsang (Denmark/Astana) +4:15"

11. Alberto Contador (Spain/Saxo - Tinkoff) +4:15"

12. Roman Kreuziger (Czech Republic/Saxo - Tinkoff) +4:31"

Overall standings after stage 18:

1. Chris Froome (Britain/Team Sky) 71:02:19"

2. Alberto Contador (Spain/Saxo-Tinkoff) +5:11"

3. Nairo Quintana (Colombia/Movistar) +5:32"

4. Roman Kreuziger (Czech Republic/Saxo-Tinkoff) +5:44"

5. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spain/Katusha) +5:58"

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353 comments

  • Comment posted by quietvoice_of_reason, at 18:04 18 Jul 2013

    Mollema committed same infringement in the Tour de Suisse and received ...a 20 second penalty.

    Consistent punishment for same minor offence. Better than riders passing out surely?

  • Comment posted by User0317337913, at 18:23 18 Jul 2013

    @5.Mike "Cheating like that, leaves a bad taste in the mouth".


    What utter nonsense. He ate a sugar lump and so it would have left a sweet taste in the mouth.

  • Comment posted by User0971275681, at 18:20 18 Jul 2013

    It looked like chaos with the team cars before the last ascent, not surprised the Sky car didn't get to them.

    Still, it's interesting to see the usual Froome-bashers switching their argument from his performances being 'too good', to now complaining about him running out of energy and so committing a minor offence (which plenty of others have done). At least he didn't share a steak with Alberto!

  • Comment posted by AndSleep, at 18:55 18 Jul 2013

    Hilarious. Same fools who have inferred Froomey is doping are now up in arms over an energy bar! The punishment for this is pretty standard and the commissaires will have evaluated the likely advantage gained in levying a 20 penalty. Clearly they would know more about it than the trolls ranting on this thread.

    Another tough but profitable day for Froomey - nearly time to celebrate I reckon.

  • Comment posted by User0326584491, at 21:13 18 Jul 2013

    Very impressed with Porte indeed you couldnt wish for a better wingman. Top notch guy & great cyclist. Pity about some of the idiot spectators.

  • Comment posted by User0765003182, at 20:04 18 Jul 2013

    It's great to see plenty of fans cheering the riders on, but must every single one of them have to keep getting in the way of the cyclists and wave flags right in their faces?! There were a lot of near misses today, the spectators really need more controlling otherwise people will get hurt. Stand out of the way and let them race intead of running alongside them dressed like a tart.

  • Comment posted by Zzzzzzzzzz, at 18:55 18 Jul 2013

    Just to clarify... the eating of an energy bar wasn't what he was penalised for, He was penalised for sending Porte back to the car to get one for him as he was unable to "reload" earlier.

    If he had a hundred energy bars in his back pocket he could have eaten every one of them if he liked at the end without any penalty.

  • Comment posted by User0679153764, at 19:00 18 Jul 2013

    Well clearly Froome struggled a bit on that second climb, obviously we don't know exactly how exhausted he was but he and Porte know the rules so I'm sure he was pretty close to hitting the wall. But to call it cheating is ridiculous; a bit of sugar is not giving him an unfair advantage, especially in the context of this race, and he got given the correct penalty. Not a problem.

  • Comment posted by Tris v3, at 18:56 18 Jul 2013

    Obviously cheering for Froome but it's hard not to like and admire Quintana. Some classic stuff today.

  • Comment posted by User0315146683, at 19:19 18 Jul 2013

    It's a pity there weren't more comments on here on the real drama today, which was the fantastic battle between Van Garderen and Riblon. Fantastic attacking from Van Garderen who really pushed himself to the limit but that was an inspired ride from Riblon.

    Today is also the first day Froome has looked somewhat human and I have to say I'm quite glad about that.

    All in all an excellent race today

  • Comment posted by mcgoverg, at 18:32 18 Jul 2013

    @27 if eating an energy bar is the level of cheating you are concerned with the cycling has taken great steps forward.
    Given what other non Anglo teams have done for victory in the last 20 years I think eating an allowed substance at the wrong time falls into the minor category of cheating.
    And he has been instantly punished.

  • Comment posted by Avondale47, at 19:38 18 Jul 2013

    Avondale47

    Most sports have a penalty system. It is up to the individual to weigh up the advantage/penalty when deliberately breaking a rule. What's the problem?

  • Comment posted by Lanterne rouge, at 18:26 18 Jul 2013

    Excellent day, and although he struggled up the last bit, job done for Froome. If only Porte had an energy bar on him: then no penalty. Never mind.

    Very pleased for Riblon and for France having its first stage this year. Felt for Van Garderen.

    Did Vellers miss the cut?

  • Comment posted by Daz555, at 08:35 19 Jul 2013

    @235 - the feeding rule is not there to limit a riders performance, it is there for convenience and safety and to prevent cars getting in the way during the important run in. If Sky had not had a car breakdown earlier in the stage then Froome would have had the gels he needed in his pocket already. The penalty is a small one because the Tour know that lack of nutrition can be dangerous for riders.

  • Comment posted by djlovesyou, at 18:35 18 Jul 2013

    22: "If he gets the energy gel outside of the last 20km, puts it in his back pocket and saves it until he bonks, is that ok?"

    Yep, it's fine. All the people calling this out as 'illegal feeding' and saying that an energy boost in the last few kms is not allowed are clueless. The rule is to stop people getting a pull from the car at the end of the stage.

    He can eat right up to the end if he wants

  • Comment posted by Ian Spencer, at 19:08 18 Jul 2013

    Tour rules are more like guidelines - in every race there are corners cut, and these are ignored in the spirit of the race. When a rider has a severe mechanical and is dumped out the back, the referees will not happen to notice drafting the team car. Changing bikes ok, but getting a push start, iffy. Froome was penalised for something which was about race management, not performance enhancement.

  • Comment posted by Inmyopinion, at 18:52 18 Jul 2013

    Is this an Energy Punishment Offence? Seems harsh to me. Ok he technically broke a rule but did he really gain from eating in the last couple of Ks?
    I was deeply impressed by Porte today. After Froome attacked and Contador was dropped, he stayed back to see what he would do and then when it was clear he was done, he bridged the gap back to Froome to support him. Porte is the ultimate teammate.

  • Comment posted by rodmadd, at 21:08 18 Jul 2013

    He's fallible, he hit the wall today and if it wasn't for Porte he'd have lost more to Quintana. Now he must realise what Wiggins went through last year when he was angry that Bradley couldn't keep up and he was forcedto slow down.. That yellow jersey carries a big burden.

  • Comment posted by Graeme and Hrisi, at 20:52 18 Jul 2013

    Whilst one Aussie is getting praise left right and centre for his incredible teamwork (and rightly so), spare a thought for his fellow Aussie, no less than the 2011 Tour Winner Cadel Evans, who finished a mighty 25 mins off the pace.
    Such a shame really, to see one of the best struggling. Having said that, Van Garderen is one hell of a prospect. Perhaps Cadel is more concerned with the cricket..

  • Comment posted by Ian, at 21:08 18 Jul 2013

    So many of the commentators saying it was a tough day for Froome, yet he owned Contador and extended his lead.

    Chapeau to Richie Porte, an absolute star.

    I wonder if Froome's girlfriend, who whined on last year when Wiggo needed the support from Froome, is being quite so vocal?

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