Joaquim Rodriguez won the 12th stage of the Tour de France on Thursday to claim his second victory this year and third in total.

The 36-year-old Spaniard won the tough 195km Pyrenean stage from Lannemezan to Plateau de Beille.

Denmark’s Jakob Fuglsang was second at 1min 10sec with young Frenchman Romain Bardet third another 40sec back.

Froome came home in 10th at 6min 47sec amongst his principle rivals, including Nairo Quintana, two-time former winner Alberto Contador and reigning champion Vincenzo Nibali.

Having suffered terribly over the previous two days in the Pyrenees, Italian Nibali had been a shadow of the figure that stormed to victory a year ago, but he was back to his normal self in coming 16th in the same time as Froome.

He was also one of several Froome rivals to attack the 30-year-old Briton as Contador, Quintana and Alejandro Valverde all tried to make the Sky train crack.

But Kenyan-born Froome was expertly marshalled by first Richie Porte and then Geraint Thomas in chasing down those digs, although when Quintana tried, it was Froome himself who took no risks and set off after the diminutive Colombian.

It left Tejay Van Garderen, safely home in 13th, second at 2min 52sec overall with Quintana third at 3min 09sec.

Contador remained sixth at 4min 04sec while Nibali moved up from 11th to ninth at 7min 47sec.