The Tour de France is full of stories. Every day we highlight a historical moment that can be linked to the upcoming stage. This time stage 13: the stage in which Chris Froome was too strong for his leader Bradley Wiggins and Alejandro Valverde profited.
The images are undoubtedly still burned on the retinas of many cycling fans: Froome having to wait for Team Sky leader Wiggins on the climb to the Peyragudes ski resort. It happens on the final climb of the seventeenth stage of the 2012 Tour.
On the penultimate climb, Valverde attacks from the group of favorites. The Spaniard picks up one escapee after another and, with the help of his Movistar teammate Rui Costa, is the first to brave the top of the Port de Balès.
On the 15-kilometer final climb, Valverde has a lead of over a minute on the group with yellow jersey wearer Wiggins. But with about 3 kilometers to go, Froome attacks in the favorite group. No one can follow, not even Wiggins. Froome is clearly stronger than his leader, but he doesn’t dare to go against team orders.
While Froome looks back, he gestures to Wiggins to follow. But the leader simply can’t go any faster. On the steep slopes, Froome has to wait a few more times, just like a few days earlier on La Toussuire. Valverde profits in the meantime and stays nineteen seconds ahead of the Sky duo.
Froome’s accelerations even make Wiggins consider giving up. “I threatened to leave the Tour,” he says in 2025. “I was leading by two minutes and didn’t expect that action at all. Chris said he was worried about his position.” Wiggins continues anyway and wins the Tour as the first Briton ever. A year later, Froome books his first of four overall victories.