Tour de France leader had to run up a mountain because he didn't have a bike

Chris Froome is forced to run with his bike during the Tour de France.

(Image credit: JEFF PACHOUD/AFP/Getty Images)

published 14 July 2016

The legendary Tour de France cycling race is notably not a foot race, although you wouldn't have known that watching leader Chris Froome on Thursday. In a bizarre and farcical turn, the yellow jersey-wearer had to run up the side of a mountain carrying his bike after a motorbike on the course abruptly stopped, causing a crash:

Fellow rider Richie Porte collided with the motorbike, which was carrying a cameraman, after it stopped suddenly in front of the riders on the famous stretch of Mont Ventoux; the bike was likely forced to slow down due to the overwhelming press of the crowd. Froome and some others riders following Forte ended up in a pile-up. After recovering, Froome took off running up the mountain before his team could get him a properly-sized replacement bike.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.

Subscribe to The Week

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox