Cycling: Froome survives French coup attempt to retain Tour lead

Chris Froome survived an attempted coup by Romain Bardet's AG2R-La Mondiale team in a treacherous, hectic 15th stage to retain the Tour de France overall leader's yellow jersey on Sunday.

Dutchman Bauke Mollema, the strongest and smartest of the breakaway riders, who had three top 10 finishes on the Tour, won the 189.5-km stage from Laissac-Severac L'Eglise but the action was elsewhere.

Defending champion Froome was first caught at the end of a split caused by French team AG2R-La Mondiale, who continued to press the pedals when the race leader suffered a mechanical problem shortly before the key climb of the day.

The Briton made up the time on the ascent of the Col de Peyra Taillade, an 8.3-km climb at an average gradient of 7.4 percent, with the help of team mate Mikel Landa, who briefly dropped out of the Bardet group to tow his leader back.