Stage 12 TDF 2022 Blog: Up Hill, Down Dale
There was a Yorkshire winner on Alpe d’Huez on Stage 12 – Tom Pidcock of Ineos (oil, plastics and SUVs).
The break began to form on the first climb, the Col du Galibier, with Anthony Pérez the first over the summit. Tom Pidcock descended the col superbly.
By the second climb, the Col de la Croix de Fer, the break was settled. The participants were Louis Meintjes, Christopher Froome, Neilson Powless, Giulio Ciccone and Tom Pidcock. The peloton reached the top of the Croix de Fer 4min19 after the breakaway.
By the foot of Alpe d’Huez, the lead was out to over 6 minutes. Pidcock attacked with 10.6km left.
Meintjes tried to follow, and remained a few seconds behind the Yorkshireman for quite some distance. Froome ploughed on in third place.
The crowds were huge, loud, and inches from the riders. Pidcock maintained a rhythm, and won the stage. Meintjes and Froome were second and third.
Pidcock is good at cycling and comes across as a nice lad, but at a time when France is experiencing very hot temperatures made much more likely by global heating, it is uncomfortable to see him promoting an oil, plastics and SUVs company.
Jumbo Visma led the GC group, with Kruijswijk then Roglic then Kuss. Pogacar made two attacks. Both times, Vingegaard marked him then rode a steady pace on the front until his teammates came back.
Pogacar sprinted for the line, but Vingegaard and Thomas stayed with him. Romain Bardet lost 19s on the stage and slips from second to fourth on GC.