Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe took advantage of a late crash by Britain’s Adam Yates to win stage 16 of the Tour de France on Thursday.

It was the Quick Step climbing specialist’s second stage win of this year’s race.

‘I’m delighted,’ said Alaphilippe after the first of four days in the Pyrenees. ‘It was really hard to get into the early breakaway and for the rest of the day, I was suffering.’

Yates was on his own and in the lead when he crashed on the descent of the Col du Portillon, the fifth and last climb of the day.

‘I was going to wait for him because it’s never great to crash,’ said Alaphilippe. ‘But I looked back and saw he was suffering, and looked a little scared so I continued.’

Welshmen Geraint Thomas maintained his 1min 39sec lead on four-time champion and Sky teammate Chris Froome in the general classification.

Stage 16 result

1. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra/Quick-Step Floors) 5hrs 13mins 22secs
2. Gorka Izagirre (Spa/Bahrain-Merida) +15secs
3. Adam Yates (GB/Mitchelton-Scott) same time
4. Bauke Mollema (Ned/Trek-Segafredo)
5. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita/Bahrain-Merida) +18secs
6. Robert Gesink (Ned/LottoNL-Jumbo) +37secs
7. Michael Valgren (Den/Astana) +56secs
8. Gregor Muhlberger (Aut/Bora-Hansgrohe) same time
9. Marc Soler (Spa/Movistar) +1min 10secs
10. Pierre Latour (Fra/AG2R La Mondiale) +1min 18secs

General classification after stage 16

1. Geraint Thomas (GB/Team Sky) 68hrs 12mins 01secs
2. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) +1min 39secs
3. Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Sunweb) +1min 50secs
4. Primoz Roglic (Slo/LottoNL-Jumbo) +2mins 38secs
5. Romain Bardet (Fra/AG2R La Mondiale) +3mins 21secs
6. Mikel Landa (Spa/Movistar) +3mins 42secs
7. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned/LottoNL-Jumbo) +3mins 57secs
8. Nairo Quintana (Col/Movistar) +4mins 23secs
9. Jakob Fuglsang (Den/Astana) +6mins 14secs
10. Dan Martin (Ire/UAE Team Emirates) +6mins 54secs