Tour's Top Sprinters abandon on one of the toughest Stages

Gaviria, Groenewegen and Greipel out of Tour de France after falling too far behind on the brutal Alpine Stage 12

Stage 12, the Queen stage, featured over 5,000 metres of climbing and took on the long arduous climbs of the Col de la Madeleine, Lacets de Mont Vernier, the Col de la Croix De Fer before a treacherous descent to Allemont for the final assault of Alpe d'Huez and it's 21 hairpin bends.

Tony Gallopin (AG2R La Mondiale) and Dylan Groenewegen were the first to abandon, having fallen behind early in the stage on the Col de Madeleine.

Gaviria and Greipel joined the gruppetto, chasing up the Col de la Croix de Fer but fell further behind.

Greipel was the next to along with  with teammate Marcel Sieberg.

Gaviria continued on but gave up with with his teammate Max Richeze before L'Alpe d'Huez.

This gives Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) in the Green Jersey an near unbeatable position in the points classification.

Along with Sagan, Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates) and Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Merida), Arnaud Demare (Groupama-FDJ), John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo) stayed in the gruppetto and managed to finish up L'Alpe d'Huez within the time limit.

Points classification after Stage 12 2018 Tour de France

1 Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe 339  pts
2 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) UAE Team Emirates 129 
3 Arnaud Demare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 106 
4 John Degenkolb (Ger) Trek-Segafredo 100 
5 Andrea Pasqualon (Ita) Wanty-Groupe Gobert 82 
6 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Quick-Step Floors 78 
7 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 70 
8 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team 69 
9 Daniel Martin (Irl) UAE Team Emirates 68 
10 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Quick-Step Floors 64 
11 Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida 64