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There are only two riders within 10 minutes of Pogacar in the GC, which is astonishing. Here is the top 10 after stage 17:
1) Tadej Pogacar 61hr 50min 16sec
2) Jonas Vingegaard +4min 15sec
3) Florian Lipowitz +9min 03sec
4) Oscar Onley +11min 04sec
5) Primoz Roglic +11min 42sec
6) Kevin Vauquelin +13min 20sec
7) Felix Gall +14min 50sec
8) Tobias Johannessen +17min 01sec
9) Ben Healy +17min 52sec
10) Carlos Rodriguez +20min 45sec
The heavy crash leading into yesterday’s sprint finish appears not to have claimed any victims yet. The official abandonments page is blank for today so far.
Happy to say that Biniam Girmay (Intermarché–Wanty), who looked quite badly hurt, has signed on and is ready to go.
(Given the difficult of today’s stage, mind you, anyone carrying an injury may yet be forced to pack it in later.)
Speaking of subplots – perhaps even full plots – there are some negative vibes around the race, after Pogacar and his team were accused of arrogance by rivals.
Jean‑René Bernaudeau, the Total Energies team manager, said: “They’re arrogant towards those who just want to live simply alongside them. I expect their team manager to make that point to them.”
“Arrogance is something, trying to win the Tour de France is another thing,” Pogacar said in response. “I think a lot riders would see us as arrogant because we want to control every single kilometre of this race. We don’t try to be arrogant, we just try to make our race as easy as possible. I think – this will sound super-arrogant – but some guys can stay quiet.”
For the full story, read Jeremy Whittle’s stage 17 report:
Preamble
Today’s stage doesn’t ask the riders for much, unless you count 5,450m of climbing across three hors catégorie mountains on the 171km route. Perhaps the more significant figure is 14,000: the sum total in metres of vertical ascent in four stages remaining (4,550m tomorrow, 2,990m on Saturday and 1,100m on Sunday, added to 5,450m today).
It will be gruelling, brutal, epic, punishing, attritional – take your pick. It might even be dramatic if Jonas Vingegaard and Visma-Lease A Bike can isolate the race leader, Tadej Pogacar, and take a chunk or two out of his commanding 4min 15sec lead in the general classification. The Col du Glandon, Col de la Madeleine and Col de la Loze must all be tackled by the peloton today: the sheer length and difficulty of the stage promises another rich self-contained narrative within the context of one of the toughest Tours in history. No doubt, Vingegaard’s team have created a plan for how they might launch attacks on Pogacar and UAE Team Emirates most effectively.
A successful Visma counterattack is not beyond the bounds of possibility but given Pogacar’s flying form, it feels more likely the reigning champion will roll with the punches, yet again, and take another significant step towards glory in Paris.
This being the Tour de France there will be subplots aplenty. The battle to form the breakaway will be fierce, with the 15 teams that remain empty-handed particularly motivated, while the race for the podium and top 10 in GC is very much on. Jonathan Milan of Lidl-Trek, who won yesterday to forge a 72-point lead over Pogacar in the green jersey standings, will merely be aiming to make the time cut, hoping a stage win for the Slovenian doesn’t reignite the points classification race.
It’s going to be emotional. Are you ready? Allez!
Stage start: 11.20 UK time / 12.20 local time
