Chris Froome had a day of cycling redemption on the stage to L'Alpe d'Huez in the Tour de France, entering the break of the day and finishing third behind Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) and Louis Maintus (Intermarche-Wanty-Gaubert). Enjoyed.

Froome, who has faced a long, long comeback from a terrible injury suffered in a training crash before the 2019 Criterium du Dauphiné time trial, was able to smile proudly across the finish line atop L'Alpe d'Huez on stage 12 ...

"I gave it everything I had today and I have no regrets," said Froome.

"I'm really happy to have finished third on one of the most difficult stages of the Tour in the last three years.

"I'm getting better and better. I wanted to try my luck in a breakaway group for a stage like today. I gave it my all."

Froome, now 37, has often been overlooked, but he intends to keep racing.

"I'm going to keep pushing. I don't know where my limits are. I'm always optimistic," he said, "I want to keep improving and win again.

Froom was not part of the first breakaway group that formed on the valley road outside Briancon, but attacked down the slope of the Col du Galibier and chased six riders.

He joined Tom Pidcock on a long, fast descent, often struggling to hold his wheels, but he made a solid move.

"He was flying downhill today," Froome said of Pidcock.

"His bike handling and MTB helped today. His bike handling and MTB helped today.

Froom rode smart and well on the Col de la Croix de Fer and the lower slopes of the L'Alpe d'Huez.

When Pidcock attacked and Meintjes chased him, Froome secured third place and increased his pace to see if he could catch them. He could not have done better.

"Obviously, I would have liked to win the stage with both hands raised, but I have no regrets.

"On the last climb, I just couldn't muster any more power. Tom and Lewis had the better engine today. Congratulations to them. Thanks to the team and my teammates for giving me the chance to make the climb today."