Tour de France 2017: Solo victory Primoz Roglic in High Alps, Froome still in yellow

The 17th stage of the Tour de France takes in intermediate climbs up Col d’Ornon, Col de la Croix de Fer, Col du Télégraphe and Col du Galibier to finish downhill in Serre Chevalier. A large early break with Roglic forms before the first climb and the Slovenian heads out on his own on the Galibier to solo to victory. Froome retains in yellow, Aru loses time, and Kittel crashes out of the Tour. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 17th stage 2017 Tour de France

1. Primoz Roglic (slo)
2. Rigoberto Uran (col) + 1.13
3. Chris Froome (gbr) s.t.
4. Romain Bardet (fra) s.t.
5. Warren Barguil (fra) s.t.
6. Mikel Landa (spa) s.t.
7. Daniel Martin (irl) + 1.43
8. Alberto Contador (spa) + 1.44
9. Louis Meintjes (rsa) s.t.
10. Fabio Aru (ita) s.t.

14. Simon Yates (gbr) + 3.14
23. Nairo Quintana (col) + 7.47

GC after the 17th stage
1. Chris Froome (gbr)
2. Rigoberto Uran (col) + 0.27
3. Romain Bardet (fra) s.t.
4. Fabio Aru (ita) + 0.53
5. Mikel Landa (spa) + 1.24
6. Daniel Martin (irl) + 2.37
7. Simon Yates (gbr) + 4.07
8. Louis Meintjes (rsa) + 6.35
9. Alberto Contador (spa) + 7.45
10. Warren Barguil (fra) + 8.52

11. Damiano Caruso (ita) + 10.03
12. Nairo Quintana (col) + 12.54

Race report
KOM king Barguil and green jersey Kittel are the most prominent victims of a big crash at km 20. Meanwhile a group of thirty plus riders is off at the front. Aboard are Matthews, Chaves, De Gendt, Mollema, Pantano, Navarro, Roche, Atapuma, Frank, Pauwels and Roglic and they crest the Col d’Ornon with a lead of more than 4 minutes.

Matthews and De Gendt were the first riders on the summit and they push on together. Down in the valley, Matthews wins the intermediate sprint, further closing in on Kittel in the points classification (of course not knowing the German would abandon later).

De Gendt en Matthews hit the Col de la Croix de Fer 2 minutes ahead of the chasers. Contador and Quintana attack in the main group, but the Colombian is dropped after a few kms. The Spaniard hooks up with the chasers, while Navarro re-joins the leaders and Matthews is left behind 3 kms before the summit.

De Gendt and Navarro crest the Croix de Fer half a minute ahead of the chasers and the GC guys are more than 3 minutes in arrears. On the lower slopes, Marcel Kittel is forced to abandon after his earlier crash.

With 89 kms remaining the two leaders are caught by the group Contador and they tackle the Col du Télégraphe with a lead of 3’30”. Contador’s team-mate Mollema pushes hard on the climb, setting the pace from bottom to top with a gap of almost 4 minutes as the outcome.

Following a short descent the Col du Galibier looms – 17,7 kilometres at 6.9%. Shortly Roglic attacks with Contador and Pauwels on his wheel. Atapuma, Frank and Navarro re-join the front of the race later on. On the lower slopes, Quintana is dropped from the GC group.

8 kms before the top Pauwels accelerates and Roglic counter-attacks to race to a lead of 1 minute. Atapuma goes after him.

Following a series of Bardet attacks with 4 kms to climb Yates drops and Aru struggles. When Bardet goes again in the last km before the top the Sardinian cracks.

Roglic is the first rider to crest the Galibier, 1’30” ahead of Atapuma, while the group Froome/Bardet/Uran is close behind. Aru is 20 seconds down on them.

Roglic powers on to take the best victory in his career and the group Froome puts half a minute into Aru. The Sardinian slips out of podium position and Uran and Bardet now sit in second and in third, both 27 seconds down on the maillot jaune.