Tour de France 2017: Froome cracks as Bardet wins stage 12

Britain's Chris Froome lost the leader's yellow jersey to Fabio Aru as France's Romain Bardet won stage 12 of the Tour de France in Peyragudes.

Romain Bardet
Romain Bardet

The Team Sky rider cracked on the brutal uphill finish, finishing seventh, and Italy's Aru pounced to take the race lead by just six seconds.

Bardet climbed to victory on the 214.5km stage to move third overall.

Colombia's Rigoberto Uran was second on the stage, followed by Aru and Froome's Team Sky team-mate Mikel Landa.

"It was a tough day for me in the final metres and my team-mates had done such an amazing job," said Froome.

"But I didn't have the legs to finish it off, it's as simple as that. No excuses. I just didn't have the legs on the final kick."

British champion Steve Cummings made a long solo break on the 50th anniversary of the death of compatriot Tom Simpson but was caught inside the final 10km on the penultimate climb.

Britain's Simon Yates moved up to sixth overall after finishing ninth on the stage and retains the best young rider's white jersey.