A very strong finish to Stage 12 from Simon Yates (Mitchelton-SCOTT) saw the Englishman take the victory in Bagnères-de-Bigorre, as he outsprinted Pello Bilbao (Astana Pro Team) and Gregor Mühlberger (BORA - hansgrohe) to the line.

Yates, Bilbao and Mühlberger had been part of a large group of more than 40 riders in the day’s breakaway and that trio went clear on their own on the tough final climb of Hourquette d’Ancizan.

2018 Vuelta winner Yates made a clever move on his two rivals on the final corner and had the legs to outpace them over the final metres. Yates now has stage wins at the Tour, the Vuelta and the Giro to his name.

As the race went into the Pyrenees, the peloton finished 9’35” down on stage winner Yates, with Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck - Quick Step) remaining in yellow, still 1’12” ahead of defending champion Geraint Thomas (Team INEOS).