SNOW JOKE
Tour de France chaos as HAIL and landslide sees stage cancelled early… just a day after heatwave engulfed Europe
THE Tour de France was thrown into chaos after hail and landslides decimated the race — just a day after a record heatwave.
Defending champ Geraint Thomas, as well as team-mate Egan Bernal and Yellow Jersey-wearing Julian Alaphilippe were told the race was neutralised ahead of the Alpine climb of Montee de Tignes, the final mountain ascent of the day.
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Shots of mud and ice running down roads meant the ascent was impassable and the stage was suspended.
But the Yellow Jersey standings were counted back from the top of Col de l'Iseran, the day's second-last climb, meaning 22-year-old Colombian took over the race lead.
It meant Alaphilippe was leapfrogged by 25sec behind, with last year's winner Thomas in third, 1min 6sec his Ineos team-mate Bernal.
There were still 20 miles of climbing to go in the Alps, but severe landslides plummeted down the mountainside and on to the road.
RIDER SAFETY
The riders were then told to gather in a tunnel at Val d'Isere, the final town before the road was blocked and told of the result.
And organisers then told the public the race had stopped "because of hail and pile of rubble on the downhill."
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Alaphilippe was set to lose the Yellow Jersey today after being distanced in the mountains by Bernal and then Thomas.
But the adoring French fans were sure to be furious after the riders were denied one last chance to attack the final climb.
Saturday's brutal final mountain stage sees the race take on a 20-mile drag to the popular ski resort of Val Thorens.
Pundit and 2012 winner Sir Bradley Wiggins said on Eurosport: “These things happen, although there’s frustration for the riders, the organisers have peoples’ safety to think of as well as spectators.
“This has happened before, they happen so quick in the mountains and you have to be reactive to those weather changes.”
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Heartwarming moment Tour de France leader Alaphilippe gives Yellow Jersey to freezing lad at mountaintop finish
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