We’re not even really sure where to start with this one.
You know the Tour de France? That famous cycling race where men on bicycles try to cycle up steep hills on their bikes to see who is the best cyclist in the world?
If we asked you for the one thing that would be essential to taking part in the Tour de France, you’d probably say “a bike you fucking idiot” and it turns out you’d be dead wrong.
Race leader Chris Froome was well on his way to defending his title – coming into today’s 12th stage at Mount Ventoux with the yellow jersey – before a pile up caused him to abandon his bike.
The camera motorbike appeared to malfunction and stage leader Ritchie Porte crashed into the back of it, taking down Froome and those around him in the process.
https://twitter.com/CyclingHubTV/status/753604592215228416
Froome was unable to clip himself back into his bike, so he took off on foot while he waited for the Team Sky support car to catch up with him to give him a new bike.
https://twitter.com/SimonNRicketts/status/753604926757040128
The 31-year-old eventually got a replacement bike and finished the stage, but not before Twitter lost its collective mind at one of the most ridiculous scenes in recent sporting memory.
If Froome had a bath this morning, does that mean he has now effectively done a triathlon today?
— Jon Mulkeen (@Statman_Jon) July 14, 2016
So does Froome warm down on a treadmill today?
— The Broom Wagon (@broomwagonblog) July 14, 2016
https://twitter.com/russbengtson/status/753605080465702912
Froome very lucky no riders punched him for running too close to them.
— John Bradley (@johnwbradley) July 14, 2016
Although Froome did reach the end of the stage, he lost a significant amount of time from having to run part of the stage, dropping all the way down to sixth place.
It remains to be seen whether or not Tour de France organisers will revise his final time.
Froome has finished the stage now but has lost time after the three leaders collided with a motorbike on the fan-lined climb #TDF2016
— INEOS Grenadiers (@INEOSGrenadiers) July 14, 2016
Froome down to 6th in GC if provisional result stands following chaos just now. For now, Adam Yates is leading Tour de France
— Dan Roan (@danroan) July 14, 2016
UPDATE: Chris Froome left an message on his Twitter page informing us that he has retained his yellow jersey. Thank goodness all that running up a mountain was not in vain.
Still in the #YellowJersey #TDF
— Chris Froome (@chrisfroome) July 14, 2016
