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Simon Yates takes Tour stage 12 from the break: Daily News Digest

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Welcome to your Daily News Digest. Here’s what’s happening today:

Simon Yates wins stage 12 of the Tour de France from the breakaway, Chris Froome is named the winner of the 2011 Vuelta a España, Rohan Dennis abandons the Tour. Those stories and more in today’s Daily News Digest.

Story of the Day: Simon Yates wins stage 12 of the Tour de France

Simon Yates nabbed the 12th stage of the Tour de France from the breakaway on Thursday, winning a three-man sprint ahead of fellow escapees Pello Bilbao (Astana) and Gregor Muhlberger (Bora-Hansgrohe).

The trio jumped clear of the main break on the day’s final climb, and then contested the stage win among themselves in Bagnères-de-Bigorre. Approaching the final corner, Yates surged to the front to lead onto the short finishing straight, and he held on to take the victory at the line.

“I’ve been saving energy until we got here in the mountains and this was my first day to try something,” Yates said after the stage. “Normally I’d be back in the peloton helping Adam [Yates] but today I had my own chance so I grabbed it with both hands.”

Julian Alaphilippe finished in a sizable GC group 9:38 later to maintain his position atop the overall standings.

More to come…

Moving Pictures

It really shouldn’t need to be said but don’t be this guy.

And then there was this, which hurt to watch. Who knew being a soigneur was such dangerous business?

Race Radio

Froome named winner of 2011 Vuelta

Chris Froome (Ineos) is the new overall champion of the 2011 Vuelta a España after initial winner Juan José Cobo has been stripped of his title.

Cobo was suspended by the UCI in June due to biological passport abnormalities from between 2009 and 2011. Upon electing not to appeal his sanction, the Spaniard has lost results from that period, including an overall title at the Vuelta a España.

“As the deadline for appeal has expired, the three-year suspension against Juan José Cobo Acebo is hence confirmed,” read a UCI statement.

“The UCI has proceeded with the disqualification of results obtained by the rider at the 2009 UCI Road World Championships (DNF in the road race; 42nd in the time trial), at the 2009 Vuelta a España (10th) and the 2011 Vuelta a España (winner).”

Chris Froome, who finished as Vuelta runner-up that year, is now the GC champion, adding a seventh Grand Tour title to his palmares even has he recovers from a bad crash.

Froome’s Ineos teammate Wout Poels finds himself a big winner as well. Cobo’s 2011 Vuelta campaign also included a stage victory atop the brutal climb of L’Angliru. Now that he has been stripped of the result, Poels has his first ever Grand Tour stage win on his palmares.

Dennis abandons the Tour de France

Rohan Dennis pulled out of the Tour de France under unusual circumstances during Thursday’s stage 12. Bahrain-Merida announced in a Tweet that he had pulled out of the Tour midway through the day, but the team seemed to be as confused as everyone else as to what had happened to the reigning world time trial champion one day before the Tour’s lone individual time trial.

Dennis, his agent, and a team press officer were then seen after the stage but the 29-year-old Australian did not talk to reporters.

Sean Yates says Froome ‘went back on his word’ at 2012 Tour de France

In other Chris Froome news, his former sports director Sean Yates has said the now-four-time Tour champion “went back on his word” when he started battling for his own results at the 2012 Tour de France.

On stage 11 of that year’s race, with team leader Bradley Wiggins in the race lead, Froome attacked on an uphill finale, and only pulling back after the team ordered him to. Froome’s attack caused a rift within the team, although Wiggins did go on to win the overall title, with Froome in second and no one else within six minutes of his victory.

On Wiggins’s Eurosport podcast this week, Yates did not mince words when describing his feelings towards Froome during and after the incident.

“I’m thinking, ‘Okay, maybe they had a chat between themselves and Brad said this is okay’, that’s obviously why I questioned him. But there was no conversation, it was not part of the plan,” Yates said, looking back on the stage.

“For me Froome went back on his word and for me, he’s not a guy I like for that reason. End of story.”

Double shoulder blade fracture for Terpstra after stage 11 crash

As if Niki Terpstra had not already had a tough enough year after sustaining a concussion at the Tour of Flanders, the Total-Direct Energie rider abandoned the Tour de France on Wednesday following a bad crash on stage 11 that left him with an injured shoulder.

According to his team, Terpstra has been diagnosed with a double fracture of his shoulder blade, as well as ligament damage.

Thieves steal equipment from Lotto-Soudal photographer

On an otherwise great day for the team, the Lotto-Soudal squad found itself the victim of a sizable theft on Wednesday.

“At around 9:30pm last night there was a burglary in the room of our cameraman,” Lotto-Soudal told Cycling Weekly.

“They stole cameras, photo and video camera and lenses worth about €50,000. We called the police. There are cameras in the hotel so they are analysis the images and they hope to find the person responsible.”

Coming Up at the Tour

Friday’s stage 12 at the Tour de France will be an important day for the yellow jersey hopefuls. A 27.2-kilometer individual time trial, it is the only ITT in this year’s race.

Covering a gently rolling circuit in scenic Pau, stage 12 should suit the power time trial specialists.

Tech News

Earth tones are in this summer – KASK’s new colours

Day to evening-wear can be important with bikes, too. KASK’s Valegro is now available in a muted color palette to appease a growing market to include not just in-competition, but commuters, gravel riders, and more. The 180g (claimed weight, size S) helmet is now offering up three additional gloss colors including Aquamarine, Ash, and Gypsum, along with two matte offerings in Pine Green and Purple to be a little more subtle for everyday use.

The KASK Valegro is available in sizes S, M, and L and costs US$250/AU$299/€189/£169.

In case you missed it …

The ecstasy of a dream fulfilled: Caleb Ewan’s first Tour stage win in photos

Feature Image: Simon Yates wins stage 12 of the Tour de France. Photo: Nico Vereecken/PN/Cor Vos © 2019

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