'I had nothing' - Romain Bardet at a loss to explain collapse on Stage 16 of the Tour de France

Romain Bardet said he felt «completely lost» during Stage 16 of the Tour de France as his GC ambitions imploded. Bardet came in 3'36" down on the yellow jersey group — tumbling from fourth to ninth in the standings — at the end of the arduous 178.5km run from Carcassonne to Foix, which was completed once again in extreme heat. Ad/> It also contained the treacherous Mur de Peguere — with a max gradient of 18% — and Bardet, who revealed he experienced fever-like symptoms throughout, was simply unable to follow the leaders when the pace was upped by the likes of Tadej Pogacar, who spent most of the day breaking the leaders apart with repeated attacks.

Tour de FranceOpinion: Numbers are nothing if Ineos can’t deliver killer blow for Thomas4 HOURS AGO Speaking to France TV after rolling in alongside Team DSM team-mates Andreas Leknessund and Chris Hamilton, Bardet said: «I was really super feverish. I had headaches. »It was one of the worst days I've had in some time.

«It was a nightmare and hats off to my team-mates who were there at the beginning and at the end. Without them I don't think I would've finished the stage. ‘I will attack and hope’ – Pogacar’s gameplan to reel in Vingegaard during final week Cavendish: I’ll win at Tour de France again, I’m not retiring yet »I don't know if it's because of the heat.

I really didn't feel well, I had chills, my temples were throbbing. It was a terrible day and I didn't see it coming. «I hope to bounce back, the desire will be there.

»It wasn't even the legs. I was just completely lost. I had nothing.