TOM Pidcock became the youngest ever winner of a Tour de France stage on the Alpe d'Huez, and only the second British winner, with victory on stage 12.

Pidcock's first ever WorldTour win was a spectacular one as he rode clear of Louis Meintjes and a rejuvenated Chris Froome - enjoying his best day on a bike since his horror crash in 2019 - on roads packed with rowdy spectators before celebrating at the top of one of cycling's most famous mountains.

The Otley cyclist has a few Bradford links, having been a member of the Paul Milnes team, which was based in the city.

He also once opened a purpose-built cycling track at Horton Park Primary School on the Canterbury estate in Bradford.

As one of five survivors from the day's breakaway, the Olympic mountain bike champion, just 22, made the first attack on the famous Alp, some 10km from the summit, and gradually rode away to follow in the footsteps of his Ineos Grenadiers team-mate Geraint Thomas who won here in 2018.

Pidcock took the win by 40 seconds from Meintjes with Froome crossing the line just over two minutes down.

Pidcock, making his Tour de France debut this year, adds the accolade of a Tour stage win to his Olympic mountain biking title, his world cyclo-cross crown and the many titles won at junior levels across disciplines.

"Not bad that, is it?" he said. "I guess it's made my Tour de France. Even if nothing else happens and I get dropped every day now I don't care. A stage win in my first Tour, not bad.

"That was certainly one of my best experiences in cycling. It's unreal when you're literally slaloming through people's flags, fists and God knows what else.

"You can't experience that anywhere else other than the Alpe d'Huez in the Tour de France."

Asked about riding over to the break with Froome, he added: "It was pretty nice getting across there with him. We worked well together. He's a legend and I just beat him up the Alpe d'Huez.

"Maybe he's not has fast as he once was but he's still good, isn't he?"