Pidcock wins Alpine Tour de France stage as Vingegaard retains lead

L’ALPE D’HUEZ, France: British rookie Tom Pidcock, riding for Ineos, showed world class skills as he won stage 12 of the Tour de France on the Bastille Day holiday on Thursday.

A daredevil descent lit the fuse for the 22-year-old’s win while an explosive acceleration on the final ascent of the Alpe d’Huez finished the job on the final day in the Alps.

Jumbo-Visma’s Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark maintained his overall lead with defending champion Tadej Pogacar and 2018 winner Geraint Thomas on his wheel.

South African Louis Meintjes was second in the stage. Chris Froome, the 36-year-old former four-time winner, was third after he joined an early escape.

Pidcock first caught the escape with a breathtaking descent and then dropped them on the last Alpine climb of this 109th edition of the Tour.

The Olympic mountain-bike champion and cyclo-cross world champion’s descent displayed bravery that set him apart from the other riders.

“On the descent people did not want to risk chasing me,” said Pidcock at the finish line.

“I learned that on my way to school cutting through the forest and the mud. My first stage win on my first tour. Not bad.”

“Even if I get dropped every day now I don’t care,” added Pidcock, who climbed to eighth overall.

The British rider said it had been astonishing to ride through such big crowds.

Countless hordes of fans were ram-packed on the verges as this Alpe d’Huez mountain above all other climbs on the Tour de France has a repuation for partying bordering on lunacy.

“You have to just pray that they move out of the way, but that was the best experience — box ticked.”

Pidcock’s Ineos leader Thomas praised the youngster.

“He’s the second British winner here,” he said after his own triumph here