Tour De France's 12th Stage Shortened Due To High Winds

Tour de France organizers said that the Tour's 12th stage "will be shortened because of expected violent gusts of wind at the top of Mont Ventoux," according to Julien Pretot of REUTERS. Thursday's stage from Montpellier will "therefore end at Chalet Reynard," about 15.5km into the 21.5km ascent. Tour de France Dir Christian Prudhomme said, "The forecast says there will be gusts of wind of over 100kph." Overall leader Chris Froome, who won at top of the Ventoux in '13, said that "it was the best decision." Froome: "I don't really think it changes too much as the climb to Chalet Reynard is tough already" (REUTERS, 7/13).