The German Giant-Alpecin rider, Simon Geschke, claimed stage 17 with a brave solo break and earned his first Tour de France stage. Chris Froome had a clear plan which he carried out to the letter, responding to Nairo Quintana’s attacks to cross the line with the Colombian and maintain his overall lead.
That’s all from me, but click here for the report from today’s stage and come along tomorrow for stage 18 from Gap to Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne. Bye!
Updated
General classification after stage 17
Contador’s struggles have dropped him down to fifth below Geraint Thomas, while Mathias Frank’s commitment to the early breakaway has lifted him into the top ten:
1 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 69:06:49
2 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team +03:10
3 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team +04:09
4 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky +06:34
5 Alberto Contador (Spa) Tinkoff-Saxo +06:40
6 Robert Gesink (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo +07:39
7 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team +08:04
8 Mathias Frank (Swi) IAM Cycling +08:47
9 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek Factory Racing +11:47
10 Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Giant-Alpecin +13:08
Updated
Stage 17 top 5
1. Simon Geschke
2. Andrew Talansky, at 0.32
3. Rigoberto Uran, at 1.01
4. Thibaut Pinot, at 1.36
5. Mathias Frank, at 1.40
Contador crosses the line and the issue he suffered on the descent from Col d’Allos has cost him a significant chunk of time in the GC.
Froome and Quintana power towards the line and white jersey just beats yellow, though gaining only a second if that. They’ve ridden a little clear of Valverde and Nibali who follow a few seconds afterwards.
Well done, Giant-Alpecin:
#TDF2015 What a great reward for @simongeschke and the whole team!! #KeepChallenging pic.twitter.com/dSo7FwwjsQ
— Team Giant-Alpecin (@GiantAlpecin) July 22, 2015
The cameras are back on our yellow jersey super-group. Froome, Nibali, Quintana and Valverde work their way towards Pra Loup with Contador well behind them.
Updated
Andrew Talansky crosses the line shortly afterwards and Rigoberto Uran is not far behind him. A little battered and bruised, Thibaut Pinot eventually gets there too.
Updated
Simon Geschke wins stage 17!
Geschke sees the finish and jumps up out of his saddle to drive forwards as a thick layer of fans either side cheer him home. It’s hard to tell if he’s smiling or gritting his teeth. The 29-year-old takes the final bend, glances back and allows himself a fist pump: Geschke grabs the biggest win of his career!
Updated
Further back Contador is more than a minute down on Froome, Quintana and Nibali in unfortunate circumstances.
2km to go
Geschke still leads and the diminutive Giant-Alpecin rider is closing on his first Tour stage win as the road flattens out...
Talansky has reeled in Geschke a little and has cut the gap to within a minute, but only 3km remain of this 7% climb. The German stands in his saddle and drives forwards for the stage win. Back down the road the yellow jersey group of Valverde, Quintana and Nibali remain together.
Updated
Geschke is still out in front with 4km to go and his lead is a solid one of still around 1min 30sec. The German has put himself in a fantastic position to claim this stage. Behind him Talansky and Uran continue to chug away but aren’t making inroads.
This is where Eddy Merckx’s Tour de France reign came to an end 40 years ago. In 1975 he the Belgian suddenly ran out of steam on this final climb into Pra-Loup and Bernard Thévenet beat him to the stage win by nearly two minutes, and take the yellow jersey from his rival. After claiming five of the previous six Tours, Merckx’s reign had ended. Merckx would later cite the effect of a medicine he had taken to treat bruising from a spectator’s infamous stomach-punch the previous day.
Updated
Up at the front Geschke begins the 6.2km climb to Pra Loup. He is going to be chased all the way to the line by Rigoberto Uran and Andrew Talansky for this stage victory who are around 1min 30sec back.
In the yellow jersey group of four, Nibali leads Froome, followed by Valverde and Quintana:
.@vincenzonibali 🚴💨💨💨💨💨💨💨 #TDF2015 pic.twitter.com/lvhA5DDOzg
— Le Tour de France (@letour) July 22, 2015
Contador has a problem! It looks like he needs a tyre change, and Froome and company are in no position to slow and wait for him on this rapid and treacherous descent.
10km to go
At the front, Pinot’s crash has allowed him to be caught up by Telanksy, who is 1min 36sec down on the current leader, Geschke. Uran now passes Pinot too and I think the crash has taken his confidence away.
Back in the yellow jersey group, Nibali leads the descent with Froome, Quintana, Valverde and Porte as they sweep left and right using every bit edge of road like a Formula One car.
Quintana attacks on the ascent and Froome, Nibali, Contador and Valverde stay with him. What a little power-group this is. And Team Sky’s tactics have worked, as Richie Porte drops back to join Froome, having earlier gone with the breakaway.
Pinot goes down! The FDJ rider swings round a tight left-hander but seems to have it under control before his back wheel suddenly goes from under him. He’s alright and hops back on his bike, but will have lost a chunk of time to Geschke ahead, and a chunk of confidence too.
Updated
Nibali and Scarponi (Astana) jump to the front of the yellow jersey group to kick up the pace, and only around 11 riders left in there including Froome, Contador, Valverde and Quintana.
Paul Thompson emails: “Thanks for the updates. When was the last time a bearded rider one a stage? I don’t think I’ve ever seen it. No goatees or stubble, of course.”
Behind Pinot, Rigoberto Uran has brought himself into contention for the stage win, joining Kruijswijk, Telanksy, Yates and Frank in the chase. Geschke takes the KoM points at the top of the climb and begins a very technical descent. The expected rain hasn’t materialised, yet.
Geschke’s lead is being swallowed by Pinot as they reach the summit, now down to only 1min 10sec. If you were wondering where Froome is amongst all this, he and his main GC rivals remain in a steady group around 11 minutes back down the road.
In this helter-skelter stage the pack shuffles again. Kruijswijk, Telanksy, Pinot, Yates and Frank form the closest chasing group to the lone leader, Geschke. But Pinot breaks rank and he’s now alone around 1min 25sec down on the German leader.
#TDF2015 Pinot is the only chaser for the moment at 1'30". Frank, Talansky, A. Yates and Kruiswijk are a few seconds behind him. 24km to go.
— Lotto Soudal (@Lotto_Soudal) July 22, 2015
Mathias Frank kicks on from the chasers as he tries to bridge the gap to Geschke. Ten minutes behind them, the GC contenders stay together in one pack led by Sky.
Adrien Dunnion emails with an update as to the GC standings with the time gaps as they are: “Mathias Frank up to 6th in provisional GC, getting very close to Thomas’ 5th!”
Geschke is closing in on the top of the Col d’Allos climb. Zip down, chest out, the German grits his teeth and stands to push himself higher and higher towards the summit (2,250m). He has opened up a lead of more than two minutes from the chasing group of around 16 riders.
World champion Michal Kwiatkowski (Etixx QuickStep) has abandoned the Tour, sickness again understood to be the reason.
30km to go: this is going to have to be a mammoth solo effort for Geschke to win the stage. Two races are developing yet again, the breakaway for the stage victory, and the GC contenders around 10 minutes back.
Geschke is up out of his saddle, pumping up the mountain at 22km/hr with a scattering of fans clapping him along and Teklehaimanot behind. He has a beard to rival Luca Paolini.
Daniel Teklehaimanot (MTN) is an excellent climber and shows off as much, pulling up alongside Geschke on the front. A big group of around 25 riders, including Sagan, Uran, Pinot and several other stage-win hopefuls are around 1min 50sec back. The GC contenders are nearly 10min behind the leading duo.
Here’s what the riders have left to tackle. Looks a lot easier when presented as a block of cheese.
36km to go at the #TDF2015 and THIS is what's in store. 28 riders still lead the @TeamSky-controlled peloton. pic.twitter.com/97j2ECoeML
— Team Sky (@TeamSky) July 22, 2015
The Team Sky-led yellow jersey group have taken their foot off significantly at the start of this category one climb, with 35km to go. They are 8min 28sec down on the leader, Simon Geschke, perhaps settling in for a battle on the ascent to the finish at Pra Loup.
Geschke rides into the town of Colmars les Alpes on his own with a 50sec lead from two chasers, Herrada and Durasek. Behind them Sagan continues within the original breakaway group which Team Sky’s Porte and Roche have dropped away from, waiting for Froome and the yellow jersey pack to catch up. Colmars, some may remember, was where Australia’s Heinrich Haussler took a solo stage win in 2009.
Updated
At the front Simon Geschke attacks! The Giant-Alpecin rider fancies taking on the huge category one Col d’Allos solo.
Plenty of emails today on Froome, sorry I can’t use them all. Here is William Fotheringham’s technical take on Froome’s data released by Team Sky:
For the climb of La Pierre-Saint-Martin last week – estimated by Kerrison at 15.3km and taking about 41 and a half minutes – the Tour leader climbed with an average power of 414 watts. Kerrison pointed out that the oval chainrings that Sky use can over-measure power by up to 6%, and the figure had not been adjusted for that.
With Froome’s race weight at about 67.5kg, and shifting the power figure downwards by that 6%, the physiologist calculated his power to weight ratio at 5.78 watts per kilogram, considerably below the value estimated by the French television station.
Froome’s climbing speed, or VAM (Velocità Ascensional Media), was 1602. Making comparisons using VAM is not an exact science because there are so many variables such as wind direction, gradient – there was a tailwind at Pierre-Saint-Martin and the gradient was apparently conducive to a high VAM; but, even given that, the figure compares favourably with the figure of about 1800 or more attained by top riders during the era when EPO was widely used.
Of all the statistics the one that probably helps to explain why Froome went so well on the climb compared with other potential winners was his maximum heart rate of 174 beats per minute. Heart rate varies from person to person so it is a figure that is of interest compared only with an individual’s other readings.
The intermediate sprint is barely contested, Sagan cruising over the line behind Vaugrenard with Degenkolb closeley in tow. Organisers did adjust the points structure before this Tour to favour pure sprinters rather than the all-round strength of Sagan, but it hasn’t worked, clearly.
Green jersey points before stage 17
1 Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo 405 points
2 André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Soudal 316
3 John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin 264
With 50km to go the breakaway 28 riders have begun the penultimate climb of stage 17. It’s a 14km climb to the Col d’Allos summit, but first comes the intermediate sprint point. Sagan is up there and will have his eye on the points...
“I quite like Sky’s decision to send Porte and Roche up the road,” emails Tom Atkins. “Presumably with a view to having them meet up with Froome at the sharp end of the stage. Seems to show that Sky are learning other techniques of defending a jersey than just crunching the numbers on excel the night before and burning off one rider after another. I don’t know whether it’ll work but it makes for more interesting racing.”
Chris Froome hunches down low, helmet poking up above his handlebars behind Ian Stannard as the yellow jersey group slink downhill. The sun is still shining – no sign of the predicting thunderstorms yet. The breakaway is around three and a half minutes clear of Froome and company, who are a minute or so behind Contador’s team-mate, Michael Rogers, and his pack of five.
#TDF2015 The 28 leaders have 3'36" on the peloton. The chasing group with Rogers, Feillu, Sicard, Barta and Malori follows at 2'26".
— Lotto Soudal (@Lotto_Soudal) July 22, 2015
The riders are becoming strung out along this stage. The latest fragment is a little counterattack which zips away from the yellow jersey group towards the leaders: Rogers, Barta, Sicard, Feillu and Malori are the ones quickly descending away from the group containing Froome, Quintana, Valverde and Contador.
As Matt Lysaught points out, Ireland’s Sam Bennett has also abandoned the Tour today (only five Bora-Argon riders remain). “Considering he couldn’t even ride a bike due to illness/injury two months ago, it should be a case of ‘chapeau’ for getting as far as he did,” Matt emails.
Race situation with 65km to go
The leading 28 riders reach the top of the Col de la Colle-Saint-Michel, and Pauwels breaks free to claim the KoM points. Among the group is Telanksy, Frank, Pinot, Sagan, Geschke, Uran, Teklehaimanot, Majka, Hesjedal, Yates, plus Team Sky’s Roche and Porte. A yellow jersey group containing the main GC contenders are around 3min 15sec back, with plenty of stragglers left trailing behind them.
Updated
A huge shame for the BMC rider who had been Froome’s closest rival for several days, and in the top five throughout. That acceleration in the main peloton which finished off Van Garderen’s Tour has closed the gap to the 28 leaders, down to around 2min 40sec.
Updated
Tejay van Garderen abandons the Tour
#TdF2015 Stage 17: BMC Racing Team's @tejay_van has withdrawn (illness).
— BMC Racing Team (@BMCProTeam) July 22, 2015
Updated
No sooner had I celebrated Van Garderen’s revival than he slips away again. Head down, barely pedalling at all, he pulls across to the side of the road and slumps into the clutches of a colleague. The American’s Tour is over. He wipes away tears and walks to the team car.
It’s Michael Rogers who had joined Contador riding clear of the peloton, but Valverde decides to attack to bridge the gap – and Team Sky immediately follow with Konig dragging Froome and the rest on to Valverde’s wheel.
Valverde jumped over to Contador but Leopold Konig took a huge turn to bring the duo back in check with 72km to go. Leo's still on the front
— Team Sky (@TeamSky) July 22, 2015
Early in the climb Alberto Contador decides to kick away and opens up a little gap to the yellow jersey group, perhaps 20 seconds. A Tinkoff-Saxo domestique goes with him but Team Sky seem happy enough to let him ride ahead for now.
This is good news, though not for the GC podium contenders – Van Garderen appears to have recovered from his early struggles through illness, and has tagged on to the back of the peloton.
“In one of many presumed responses to Peter Kunzli’s rather clumsy email,” starts one of the many responses to Peter Kunzli’s email, this one by Guy Hornsby, “I’d like to hear how Froome is a cheat again? I presume he watched the mocked up (and incorrect) recent clips of power readings, handily placed alongside Armstrong and Ullrich, just to infer just such accusations? Or watched Jalabert’s embarrassing and utterly hypocritical reporting? Sounds like he fell for it hook, line and sinker. Or he has the sort of prejudice against Froome and Sky that they seem to attract.
“What’s even more depressing,” Guy adds, “than the bile and accusatory questioning that Sky have to put up with is the fact that none of the other top teams seem to get nearly as much heat. I don’t think cycling will escape the stain of its past for some years, but at least make it a level playing field. Sky have been arguably as transparent as anyone but, and Froome rides clean, but in some people’s eyes (clearly) nothing will ever convince them. Given the fact he’s leading the race it’s pretty disrespectful. No one accused Tony Martin, Rohan Dennis or Fabian Cancellara when they held yellow, if I recall.”
Updated
We are at the halfway point in stage 17 with around 80km remaining. The breakaway-ers finish the descent and the third of the day’s five climbs is immediately upon them. This one is more of a brute, an 11km climb up the Col de la Colle-Saint-Michel. The leaders have a 3min gap to the peloton and work on in a stretched convoy in the sunshine, slowing momentarily to grab a musette in the feed zone.
“I don’t know about everyone else,” emails James Blanchard, “but I’m particularly enjoying watching Peter Sagan this year – He seems to be so capable across many disciplines, climbing all but the toughest peaks included. I’d love to see what might happen if he were to prepare himself and take a shot at the GC.” Couldn’t agree more; his blase attitude to steep descents has been a personal highlight. Incredibly skilled.
The yellow jersey group start the snaking descent 2min 20sec from the leading 28 riders, and exactly the same time ahead of Tejay van Garderen who seems to have steadied things for now at least. Here are your leading riders in full:
Tanel Kangert (Astana), Jan Bakelants and Mikaël Chérel (AG2R), Thibaut Pinot and Benoît Vaugrenard (FDJ), Richie Porte and Nicolas Roche (Sky), Rafal Majka and Peter Sagan (Tinkoff), Jonathan Castroviejo, José Herrada and Gorka Izagirre (Movistar), John Degenkolb and Simon Geschke (Giant), Alberto Losada (Katusha), Adam Yates (Orica), Rigoberto Uran (Etixx), Perrig Quémeneur (Europcar), Steven Kruijswijk (LottoNL), Kristjian Durasek and Rafael Valls (Lampre), Andrew Talansky and Ryder Hesjedal (Cannondale), Nicolas Edet (Cofidis), Mathias Frank (IAM), Merhawi Kudus, Serge Pauwels and Daniel Teklehaimanot (MTN).
Serge Pauwels was first to the top at Col de Toutes Aures, and Daniel Teklehaimanot second – he is still targeting a top three KoM finish.
“Hi Lawrence!” emails a chirpy Adrien Dunnion. “With Van Garderen now (presumably) out of the picture, who’s your shout for 3rd now?! Bit of a long shot but perhaps Gesink would be a good bet now, what do you think?! Also, who is your tip for the polka-dots??” Valverde has looked quietly impressive throughout this Tour and has bags of experience to call on. Also wouldn’t rule out Nibali just yet, at least for a podium spot.
@LawrenceOstlere Clearly, this is the day Pinot will launch into THRILLING HEROICS in the mountains and do enough to come third in the GC!
— MaliciousA (@MaliciousA) July 22, 2015
The breakaway has opened up a lead of 2min 15sec and is approaching the Col de Toutes Aures summit. News has just come through that Nathan Haas (Cannondale-Garmin) has abandoned the race, while Van Garderen is still going but is suffering from sickness, BMC have confirmed. He’s four minutes back from the yellow jersey group.
“The first day after a rest day is always tricky as to how a rider’s body will react and some cope better than others,” emails Paul Fulcher. “Last year Tejay Van Garderen lost nearly 4 minutes to his rivals on the corresponding stage, which ultimately cost him a podium place. He tried changing his rest day routine this year – but looks as if it hasn’t worked.”
Updated
Some of the bigger names in the breakaway of around 25 riders: Telanksy, Pauwels, Pinot, Sagan, Geschke, Uran, Teklehaimanot, Majka, Hesjedal, Yates, and interestingly, Team Sky have sent Nicolas Roche and Richie Porte up there too, I understand.
“I know you won’t read it let alone talk about it online,” Peter Kunzli emails, working his reverse psychology. “But I think I am one of many who think Warren Barguil knocked off the wrong Sky rider. Only 4 days for the other riders to prevent this cheating fake Englishman from stealing another tour.” Strong and quite cynical words.
With 100km the riders reach the foot of the Col de Toutes Aures, a pretty gradual 6.1km climb. The yellow jersey group featuring Froome, Nibali, Contador and Quintana is being led by Team Sky, and is less then a minute down on the breakaway, which has built up to around 25 riders. Van Garderen battles on, now around three minutes back.
Van Garderen is really suffering out there, now a couple of minutes down on the peloton. He calls for the medical car, and this might spell the end of the BMC rider’s GC challenge.
Sir Dave Brailsford seemed pretty relaxed about the threat of Froome losing time on the descent from Col d’Allos today. Speaking before the start of stage 17, Team Sky’s general manager said: “Nibali is so far behind now, that if he gains a minute, a minute and a half, on the descent to the end of the stage, well good luck to him.”
Updated
The sun is shining as the riders take on the first of four days in the Alps, but it isn’t predicted to stay that way with possible thunderstorms to come later on. Rain would make the descent from Col d’Allos which precedes the finish far more challenging.
Prévisions météo / Weather forecast : 🔆 > ☁ ☁ > ⚡ ⚡ ⚡#TDF2015 pic.twitter.com/h8F1Qfxtby
— Le Tour de France (@letour) July 22, 2015
Van Garderen is around 1min 20sec behind the peloton – things not shaping up well for the American at the start of this stage with plenty more difficult ascents to come.
Rafal Majka (Tinkoff-Saxo) grabbed the two KoM points on offer at the top of Col des Lèques, though last year’s polka dot winner is not really in the reckoning this time around. On the descent Andrew Talansky (Cannondale) and Steven Kruijswijk (LottoNL) make a break for it. Peter Sagan, famously a lover of descending and of breakaways, can’t resist and flings body and bike down the mountain to join them.
@guardian_sport @LawrenceOstlere clever of Geraint Thomas to get engaged to a girl who's already called Thomas.
— Richard Thrale (@thraler) July 22, 2015
If they really are the fun couple I think they are, they will double-barrel and call their firstborn Thomas.
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This might be an insight into Nairo Quintana’s thinking today: the Colombian wearing the white jersey suddenly shoots away from the peloton, and Team Sky lead the chase. Does Quintana have Pra Loup earmarked as a possible stage victory? As they close in on the Col des Lèques summit, the peloton catches Quintana and in doing so reels in the 30 or so riders that had broken away a few minutes before.
The injection of pace leaves several stragglers off the back, and Tejay van Garderen is one of them. The American BMC rider, third overall, could be in a spot of trouble.
Updated
Just as the bunch reach the start of the day’s first climb, Albert Timmer (Giant) and Dani Navarro (Cofidis) attack. It’s a ‘should I stay or should I go’ moment for the peloton. About 30 or so riders decide to chase on, including Sagan and Rodriguez, but the top GC contenders all stay put.
Cue a tenuous musical interlude:
In case you missed it, here’s Warren Barguil clattering into Thomas as they approached Gap for the climax to stage 16. I had a couple of emails berating the Frenchman but he was quick to apologise and did appear to get a nudge from behind before sending the Team Sky rider head over handlebars, limbs flailing in every direction. Thomas dusted himself down to finish the stage only 30sec down and retain sixth in the overall standings – remarkable.
“I feel alright now,” he said immediately afterwards. “I guess the doctor will ask for my name and date of birth in a minute.” Asked if he does still know his name, Thomas smiled: “Erm, Chris Froome.”
Geraint Thomas is in the peloton today after being given the all-clear by medical staff following his dramatic crash into a telegraph pole and roadside ditch near the stage 16 finish.
“Lawrence,” emails Mark Fisher. “Surely the most important question today is – did G get his sunglasses back, and if not, will it affect his performance like Samson having his hair cut off?”
Based on this tweet, Geraint Thomas didn’t find his beloved glasses – “they don’t make them any more,” he had complained afterwards – but his fiancee has come up trumps and replaced them:
Ta-da! Look what I've found @GeraintThomas86 😎 pic.twitter.com/Ii6WwvVBWU
— Sara Elen Thomas (@SaraEls90) July 20, 2015
This is why I'm marrying her... 👍😎 https://t.co/RRWJ1DugYm
— Geraint Thomas (@GeraintThomas86) July 20, 2015
Stage 17 so far
The riders are through 25km of the stage, and an early breakaway of around 30 riders – which included Peter Sagan and Joaquim Rodriguez – has quickly been lassoed back into the peloton. All riders are together as one as the bunch head to the first of the day’s five climbs, the category three Col des Lèques (a 6km ascent at a 5.3% average gradient, since you ask).
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Classifications
Chris Froome’s overall lead remains intact, but this is the sort of stage which could see some shift in the standings. Joaquim Rodriguez will be eyeing the opportunity to take on Froome’s slight advantage in the KoM race, and there is an intermediate sprint point later in the stage if Peter Sagan fancies adding to his huge lead in green.
Yellow jersey
1 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 64:47:16
2 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team +03:10
3 Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team +03:32
4 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team +04:02
5 Alberto Contador (Spa) Tinkoff-Saxo +04:23
6 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky +05:32 (he’s alive!)
7 Robert Gesink (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo +06:23
8 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team +07:49
9 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek Factory Racing +08:53
10 Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Giant-Alpecin +11:03
King of the Mountains
1 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 61 points
2 Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha 52
3 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team 41
4 Richie Porte (Aus) Team Sky 40
5 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 38
Green jersey
1 Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo 405 points
2 André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Soudal 316
3 John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin 264
Hello! What goes up must come down, goes the phrase. Unfortunately for our riders, this doesn’t often apply to mountain stages of the Tour de France. Stage 17 starts down in lowly Digne-les-Bains and finishes 1km up at the ski station in Pra Loup. Four climbs lurk in between, the last of which is an Alpine giant: the Col d’Allos summit stands at 2,250m and requires 23.6km of hard climbing to get there. Expect a day full of attacks and attempted breakaways, one the sprinters will be happy to see the back of.
Stage 17: Digne-les-Bains to Pra Loup (161km)
After a rest day, the finale starts with a replica of the stage where 40 years ago Bernard Thévenet put an end to Eddy Merckx’s reign. The main battleground is the Col d’Allos, a first-category which the Tour rarely tackles, followed by the short second-category ascent to the finish.
The organisers will want a Frenchman to follow in Thévenet’s wheelmarks, but if he does it’s likely to be a stage-hunter such as Rolland. Romain Bardet made a perfectly timed move – followed by a nerveless descent – to win a stage of the Dauphiné here, but this time round Froome and company will know what to expect.
Read more from our stage-by-stage guide.
