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Run To The Hills

Tour de France 2016: Chris Froome SPRINTS up hill after crashing bike into motorcycle – but stays in the yellow jersey

CHRIS FROOME was forced to SPRINT up a mountain at the Tour de France after piling into the back of motorcycle left him without a bike.

The crash looked to have cost Froome the Yellow Jersey - but after a lengthy review he was reinstalled at the top of the standings, extending his lead over compatriot Adam Yates in second by 19 seconds.

Capture
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Froome was forced to finish his race on foot after a bad crash

A motorbike caused the pile-up after being forced to brake due to overcrowding
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A motorbike caused the pile-up after being forced to brake due to overcrowdingCredit: Reuters
Chris Froome, Bauke Mollema and Richie Porte (left) try to get up after the motorbike crash caused them to hit the deck
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Chris Froome, Bauke Mollema and Richie Porte (left) try to get up after the motorbike crash caused them to hit the deckCredit: Getty Images
Chris Froome in the yellow Kask helmet is at the bottom of a pile of riders as his bike is broken by an official's motorbike (left)
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Chris Froome in the yellow Kask helmet is at the bottom of a pile of riders as his bike is broken by an official's motorbike (left)Credit: Getty Images
Chris Froome runs up Mont Ventoux after crashing and cracking his bike
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Chris Froome runs up Mont Ventoux after crashing and cracking his bikeCredit: Getty Images

Even bigger news for Froome is that the Team Sky ace extended his lead over Colombian rival Nairo Quintana.

Competitor Richie Porte smashed into the back of a motorcycle on the historic climb of Mont Ventoux after it was forced to brake due to spectators crowding on the road.

Froome - who won on the same slopes in 2013 - and Bauke Mollema then crashed into Porte, and both cyclists were left to go on foot as their bikes were cracked.

The Kenya-born Brit then legged it up the hill towards the finish line before being handed a bike by an neutral service vehicle.

Froome crossed the line one minute and 40 seconds behind Mollema and 44sec behind Porte, but all three were eventually given the same time.

As a result Froome is now 47sec clear of Yates, having been 28sec ahead at the start of the day.

Froome was handed a new bike but couldn't clip in
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Froome was handed a new bike but couldn't clip inCredit: Reuters
Froome was forced to make a dash as he lost his coveted yellow jersey
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Froome was forced to make a dash as he lost his coveted yellow jerseyCredit: Reuters
Race organisers will have to answer for the latest fiasco involving fans getting too close
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Race organisers will have to answer for the latest fiasco involving fans getting too closeCredit: Reuters
The stage finish had been shortened due to high winds, but crowds could still get close
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The stage finish had been shortened due to high winds, but crowds could still get closeCredit: Reuters
Stewards could decide to avoid some problems by using the 2km-to-go marker for the yellow jersey
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Stewards could decide to avoid some problems by using the 2km-to-go marker for the yellow jerseyCredit: Getty Images

The stage finish was shortened yesterday due to high Mistral winds reaching over 100km/h, forcing the finish to move down - but the crowd barriers weren't.

Froome, 31, said: “Ventoux is full of surprises! With about 1.2km to go, the motorbike in front slammed on his brakes, I think the road was blocked in front and the three of us, Mollema, Richie and myself just went piling over the back of the motorbike.

“Another bike came into the back of me and broke my frame.

“So I was just left running. I didn’t have a spare bike, I knew the cars were stuck behind all the other riders, I was just left to try and get up the climb as best I could.

“I’m just glad to get through the stage, I’m glad that the commissaires took that decision there, in the interests of the race and in the interests of what’s happened the last few days, that was the correct decision. So thank you to them and the organisers of the Tour de France.

"You always have to expect the unexpected at the Tour de France and I've said all along this would be my biggest challenge yet. Now I'm just looking forward to tomorrow's time trial."

Porte, who collided with the motorbike and used to ride for Froome's at Sky, vented: "I went straight over the top of the bike. It was a mess. The guys went straight into me. I don't know what they're going to do - they have to do something because it's not fair."

Britain's Adam Yates (right) was in the yellow jersey briefly before the race officials decided Froome could be in Yellow
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Britain's Adam Yates (right) was in the yellow jersey briefly before the race officials decided Froome could be in YellowCredit: Getty Images

Yates said he was happy with the decision - despite the carrot of the to the Yellow Jersey presenting itself for the first time in his career.

The 23-year-old Brit said: "I don't want to take the jersey like that. I'd rather take it with my legs and not a crash in a bad situation.

"Everyone saw it, I don't think anyone would want to take it that way. If I was in the same situation in the Yellow Jersey, I'd want the same outcome."

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