SAINT-JEAN-DE-MAURIENNE, France — Chris Froome is halfway through the Alps, the last obstacle to his second Tour de France victory, after comfortably maintaining his race lead on a Stage 18 won in style by Romain Bardet on Thursday.
Bardet rode alone down the huge Glandon pass and up the 18 hairpin bends of the Montvernier Laces, previously unclimbed by the Tour, to take a solo victory at Saint-Jean-De-Maurienne on the second of four days in the Alps, the last big test before the finish in Paris on Sunday. Pierre Rolland of the Europcar team made it a 1-2 French finish, coming in 33 seconds behind the winner for AG2R La Mondiale.