Fabio Aru claims Tour de France lead from Chris Froome after 12th stage

Chris Froome cracked during a grueling climb to the finish and lost the overall lead in the Tour de France to Fabio Aru on Thursday after a demanding stage won by Romain Bardet.

Froome’s Sky teammates had perfectly controlled the race until the final kilometer leading to the ski station of Peyragudes, but the three-time champion was dropped in a final section that featured slopes with a 20% gradient.

Bardet won Stage 12 ahead of Rigoberto Uran and Aru, who seized the race lead from Froome by six seconds. Bardet is third overall, 25 seconds off the pace.

Team Sky had dominated the stage until the final 350 meters, when Aru made his move. Froome was only able to follow his Italian rival for a few meters before he cracked, and crossed the line in seventh place, 22 seconds behind Bardet.

Bidding to become the first Frenchman to win the Tour since Bernard Hinault in 1985, Bardet was the strongest in the brutal incline and described his third stage win on the Tour as “an immense joy.”

He said he had visited the ski station with his parents to scout out the final climb.

“I knew it could suit me,” he said. “I was patient. I made the difference on the final hill. There was not much to do before that with the wind and the Sky train.”

Aru had trailed Froome by 18 seconds at the start of the stage.

“It’s one of the most beautiful things that can happen to you in life, wearing the yellow jersey,” said Aru, who rides for the Astana team. “Clearly, it won’t be easy to defend it. There are still nine more stages, we’ll do our best.”

The final of the six ascents on the menu of the 214.5-kilometer (133-mile) stage between Pau and the ski station was too difficult for Froome, who had worn the yellow jersey over the previous seven stages.

“It was a very, very difficult finish,” he said. “I did my utmost at the end. But I didn’t have the legs to follow.”