Chris Froome took his biggest career win yet today on the first Tour de France climbing stage to La Planche des Belles Filles. It came thanks to Sky's work up to the summit finish, where he and his team-mates rode Bradley Wiggins into the race lead.
"I saw that Bradley was right on my wheel and that he was not going to lose any time," explained Froome. "I had the legs, I thought, 'Right, let's go for it'."
Froome won a stage and placed second in the Vuelta a España last year. Today, after 199 kilometres, he won on top of La Planche des Belles Filles in the Vosges mountains. As a result of his work, he also took the king of the mountains polka-dot jersey.
He started working at 2.1 kilometres to race in the 5.9km climb. Sky's Edvald Boasson Hagen, Michael Rogers and Richie Porte pulled in the earlier parts of the climb.
"Richie set a fantastic pace going up that climb, he dropped so many riders," Froome added. "He left me just to ride steady and set things up. We went to look at the course after the [Critérium du] Dauphiné and knew that last kick would be hard. Maybe it surprised people."
Froome led Wiggins, Cadel Evans (BMC Racing), Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) and Rein Taaramäe (Cofidis) to the line. Overall favourites Denis Menchov (Katusha) and Jurgen Van den Broeck (Lotto-Belisol) were already dropped.
Evans charged to the front of the group for the first time with 500 metres to race. Froome used him as a lead out to go for the win.
"It wasn't really the plan for me to go for the stage win, but I saw Bradley was in a position where it wouldn't affect him," Froome said.
"I thought why not put in an acceleration and see how Cadel responds, but there was no real response... I thought he would go when the road kicked up if he did go. When it did kick up, he never really went. For me, it says one thing, that he didn't really have the legs to go... Hopefully he's not holding anything back and we can hold him over the remainder of the race. He and Bradley look on par at the moment."
Froome worked for Wiggins in last year's Vuelta until the final stages, when Sky backed him to second overall. Wiggins placed behind in third overall.
At the Tour, his goal is to help Wiggins win the race, which he did today. The goal became clearer after he lost time on the first road stage to Seraing. Today's win was a little something for Wiggins' super domestique.
"I told Chris to save a bit with 1.5km, shouting at him. I knew we were going well," said Wiggins.
"Just for him to win the stage after his misfortune this week. He got his stage win now and that's good since he's going to be working for me in the next two weeks."
Wiggins leads the race by 10 seconds over Evans. Froome is ninth overall at 1-32 minutes.
Tour de France 2012: Latest news
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Hesjedal may be out of Tour after Garmin suffer in crash
Stage seven video preview
The Feed Zone: Tour news round-up (July 5)
Celebrating the Tour's lead-out men
Liquigas's yellow and green jersey aim at Tour
Brailsford: Sky on the front for Cav and Wiggins
Fourth Tour crash for Farrar
Greipel on a roll at the Tour
Cavendish and Eisel expected to continue after stage four crash
Injury report: Tour stage four
Garmin-Sharp adjust Tour de France plans after injury problems
Sky down to eight after Siutsou crash
Tour de France 2012: Teams, riders, start list
Tour 2012: Who will win?
Tour de France 2012 provisional start list
Tour de France 2012 team list
Tour de France 2012: Stage reports
Stage six: Sagan wins third Tour stage
Stage five: Greipel wins again as Cavendish fades
Stage four: Greipel wins stage after Cavendish crashes
Stage three: Sagan runs away with it in Boulogne
Stage two: Cavendish takes 21st Tour stage victory
Stage one: Sagan wins at first attempt
Prologue: Cancellara wins, Wiggins second
Tour de France 2012: Comment, analysis, blogs
Analysis: How much time could Wiggins gain in Tour's time trials
CW's Tour de France podcasts
Blog: Tour presentation - chasing dreams and autographs
Comment: Cavendish the climber
Tour de France 2012: Photo galleries
Stage six by Graham Watson
Stage five by Graham Watson
Stage four by Graham Watson
Stage three by Graham Watson
Stage two by Andy Jones
Stage two by Graham Watson
Stage one by Graham Watson
Prologue photo gallery by Andy Jones
Prologue photo gallery by Roo Rowler
Prologue photo gallery by Graham Watson
Tour de France 2012: Team presentation
Sky and Rabobank Tour de France recce
Tour de France 2012: Live text coverage
Stage five live coverage
Stage four live coverage
Stage three live coverage
Cycling Weekly's live text coverage schedule
Tour de France 2012: TV schedule
ITV4 live schedule
British Eurosport live schedule
Tour de France 2012: Related links
Brits in the Tours: From Robinson to Cavendish
Brief history of the Tour de France
Tour de France 2011: Cycling Weekly's coverage index
1989: The Greatest Tour de France ever
‘There's no point to race for 50th place’: Peter Sagan explains why he’s a cycling esports ambassador but won’t compete
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