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Dani Ostanek

As it happened: Vingegaard loses more GC time as breakaway wins Tour de France stage 17

SUPERDEVOLUY LE DEVOLUY FRANCE JULY 17 Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE Team Emirates Yellow Leader Jersey competes climbing the Col du Noyer 1664m during the 111th Tour de France 2024 Stage 17 a 1778km stage from SaintPaulTroisChateaux to Superdevoluy 1500m UCIWT on July 17 2024 in Superdevoluy Le Devoluy France Photo by Tim de WaeleGetty Images.

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Tour de France: Jasper Philipsen nets third win on frantic stage 16 sprint in Nîmes

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Bonjour and welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of stage 17 of the 2024 Tour de France!

After yesterday's final chance for the sprinters in Nîmes, it's back to the hills and mountains today as the peloton heads to the Alps.

A look at today's stage profile.

(Image credit: ASO)

Here's a look at the map of today's stage, which takes the riders to the new finish at the ski resort at SuperDévoluy.

(Image credit: ASO)

Here's a look back at yesterday's stage, which saw Jasper Philipsen win for the third time in the race. He's now closed to within 32 points of Biniam Girmay's green jersey after the Eritrean crashed late on in the stage.

Tour de France: Jasper Philipsen nets third win on frantic stage 16 sprint in Nîmes

(Image credit: Tom Goyvaerts / BELGA MAG / Belga via AFP / Getty Images)

And here's a look at the results from stage 16.

Aside from Philipsen's win, Girmay's late crash was really the only incident that came out of over four hours of racing yesterday.

Tour de France green jersey Biniam Girmay crashes in hectic stage 16 finale

(Image credit: Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP / Getty Images)

Today's stage starts in just over 90 minutes.

Here's a message from Biniam Girmay following yesterday's crash.

Jasper Philipsen plays second Tour de France green jersey as ‘5% chance of success’

Alpecin-Deceuninck sprinter back in points fight after third stage win at Nîmes and Biniam Girmay crash

Riders are currently signing on to start their day in Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux ahead of 177.8km of racing.

Mark Cavendish finished 17th in yesterday's finish, the final sprint of his Tour de France career.

"We did what we set out to achieve here at this Tour de France. We did it early on, so we’re happy. It’s been successful," he said afterwards.

'We did what we set out to do at this Tour de France' – No encore for Mark Cavendish in last bunch sprint in Nîmes

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Here's a look at the finish of today's stage...

(Image credit: ASO)

Around half an hour until the action begins!

The current GC standings at the Tour de France 2024

Tadej Pogačar maintained his overall lead with safe arrival on stage 16 into Nîmes

'I didn't come here just to survive' – Illness complicates Tour de France for Geraint Thomas, Egan Bernal

Ineos' past winners hope to salvage something from final week of race

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious) and Elmar Reinders (Jayco-AlUla) are out of the race this morning. Reinders have travelled home for the birth of his child.

150 men finished stage 16 so it looks like 148 will start today.

The riders roll out in 10 minutes.

One rider who won't be racing today is former GC contender Primož Roglič. Will he be taking on the Vuelta a España after abandoning the Tour?

Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe – no decision on Primož Roglič and Vuelta a España until after Tour de France

'I don't know what it is' – Tour de France leader Tadej Pogačar brushes aside question on carbon monoxide rebreather use

Slovenian star comes through final sprint stage of 2024 Tour de France unscathed

The riders now rolling through the neutral zone before the official start.

178km to go

The flag drops to start stage 17!

No attacks to start the stage.

The pace is high at the front, so at least someone is trying to attack. We thankfully won't be seeing a repeat of the four hours of dross from yesterday (and several other stages during the Tour).

Lots of riders up front but no real breakaway attempt yet. Just a high pace.

Some sidewind now as the riders enter an exposed part of the course. Most of the TotalEnergies team is off the back.

167km to go

A few echelons at the rear.

No major names out the rear at the moment.

Up front, teams are still driving it at the head of the peloton at a fast pace.

51kph average so far.

Things are coming back together now. It looks like the pace is slowing as the wind has dropped.

156km to go

20km done.

The battle for the break is underway now and attacks are flying at the front.

Wout van Aert among the current set of attackers.

He has Harold Tejada, Jarrad Drizners, and Tobias Johannessen with him.

That move hasn't lasted, however, and things are all back together.

140km to go

Still no breakaway.

Simon Geschke among the latest attackers.

133km to go

Jonathan Castroviejo and Wout van Aert among the attackers now.

Still nobody able to get away at the moment.

It's still more like a string of riders at the front of the peloton rather than any clear move getting away.

126km to go

50km of racing done and still no move.

Alexey Lutsenko has stopped and it looks like his Tour is over.

The Kazakh rider is clearly upset. He's consoled by team staff as he leaves the race.

120km to go

Another move at the front now.

Magnus Cort, Tiesj Benoot, Romain Gregoire, Bob Jungels off the front.

The peloton earlier on as the wind struck.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Alex Aranburu is trying to move at the front.

35 seconds between the front quartet and the peloton now.

Astana reporting that Lutsenko withdrew after suffering a left knee injury.

Bart Lemmen and Laurens Rex try to attack from the peloton but they're brought back.

Wout van Aert on the move at the front.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

More moves still going off the front. Richard Carapaz among the riders attacking.

Meanwhile, Sam Bennett is three minutes off the back and soft-pedalling. His Tour will soon be over.

Another ex-QuickStep sprinter, Fernando Gaviria, abandons.

Fabio Jakobsen is long gone, too, having abandoned on stage 12. 

103km to go

40 seconds for the leaders as more riders attempt to attack off the front.

Sam Bennett abandons. His best result of the Tour was fourth place yesterday.

The break is now closing in on the four men out front.

96km to go

Jungels and Benoot at the front of the attack.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Still 40 seconds between those riders and the peloton. Another group is at 25 seconds.

90km to go

A minute now as the main peloton slows a little.

Laurens De Plus, Christophe Laporte, Javier Romo, and Mathieu Burgaudeau are the riders between the break and peloton.

And now more attacks as several EF riders try to break away.

The move is brought back.

79km to go

Attacks still fly, 50 seconds off the lead.

The entire day has been tilting uphill so far without any classified climbs.

Ben Healy is the next man to attack. Wout van Aert follows.

74km to go

The move doesn't go anywhere and now Rui Costa is trying a counter.

8km to go until the intermediate sprint.

Another group attempts to go clear but nothing comes of it.

Girmay marks Philipsen, who attempted to go as part of the attack.

68km to go

1:10 for the four leaders now.

The riders now coming up to the intermediate sprint and more attacks fly.

Richard Carapaz is among the attackers.

3km to the sprint.

Alpecin-Deceuninck are closing down the latest attack.

63km to go

Cort leads the four-man break across the intermediate sprint.

Alpecin-Deceuninck lead it out from the peloton. Girmay is behind Philipsen.

Philipsen and Girmay go head-to-head for fifth place.

Girmay outdrags Philipsen for 11 points, extending his green jersey lead as his rival takes 10. 

387 for Girmay, 354 for Philipsen.

45 seconds for the break now.

More attacks...

58km to go

Still around 20km to go until the start of the day's first climb, the second-category Col Bayard.

The average speed so far is over 48kph. The riders have climbed 1,300 metres so far with only a short period of descent.

More attacks going at the front.

43 riders are in the group which has just gone.

Some big names in there including Geraint Thomas, Wout van Aert, Matej Mohorič, Enric Mas, Romain Bardet, and Richard Carapaz.

Check above for the full list.

Steff Cras is the best-placed man on GC in the group at 37:33 down.

It looks like Alpecin-Deceuninck is the only team not represented in the break.

Four up front with a minute. 47 in the chase. The peloton at 3:25 down.

Groupama-FDJ have six men up front across the two groups.

Uno-X, Jayco-AlUla, and Lidl-Trek have four men apiece.

Visma, Bahrain, Arkéa, DSM, and TotalEnergies all have three men out front.

Two riders each for UAE, Ineos, Decathlon, Red Bull, Movistar, and Intermarché.

QuickStep, EF, Lotto, Israel, Cofidis, and Astana all have one man up the road.

UAE Team Emirates control the peloton at four minutes down.

42km to go

A downhill run now and then it's onto the day's first climb.

One of the many attacks today.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Now the riders begin climbing at the Col Bayard (6.8km at 7.3%).

38km to go

A 48.4kph average so far.

1:30 now between the leaders and the 47-man chase group.

The four men out front have 11 men in the large breakaway group.

34km to go

Armirail, Onley, and Jegat try a move from the large chasing group.

Riders falling off the rear of the group.

Six minutes back to the peloton.

The attack is caught and now Guillaume Martin makes a move.

Some idiot at the side of the road hits Martin with a flag while looking the wrong way.

He's joined by Madouas in the chase now.

32km to go

The leaders pass the top of the climb 30 seconds up on Madouas and Martin.

A downhill run now before the next climb, the first-category Col du Noyer.

The climb is 7.5km at 8.1%.

(Image credit: ASO)

A look back at the intermediate sprint earlier on today.

26km to go

35 seconds back to Madouas and Martin.

1:15 to the big break group.

It looks likely that the break will win today with the peloton almost seven minutes down now.

Eurosport just reported that we haven't seen any breakaway success since the opening weekend, but surely the gravel stage 9 in Troyes wasn't that forgettable??

Madouas and Martin are slowly closing in on the leaders.

22km to go

Riding back uphill now and the two chasers are at 20 seconds.

The pair are almost across the gap now just in time for the climb.

18km to go

Martin and Madouas make it across as the climb begins. 7.5km at 8.1% to the top.

Simon Yates attacks from the chase, 40 seconds down.

Carapaz and Williams also attack.

Yates has already caught the leaders and he immediately pushes on alone.

17km to go

Yates now solo. Riders behind catch the previous group of leaders.

Carapaz and Williams now the second group on the road.

5km to the top and Yates has six seconds.

The peloton at 7:45 down.

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How to watch the 2024 Tour de France live on television or any device

Carapaz drops Williams on the way up.

15km to go

Carapaz is almost across to Yates.

40 seconds between the two leaders and the chase.

14km to go

2.5km to the top.

Yates and Carapaz the big favourites for glory today now.

And now Carapaz makes his move!

Yates stays in touch, but only just.

13km to go

The peloton now at nine minutes down and Lidl-Trek are making a move.

Giulio Ciccone is trying to attack, which is fun.

Up front, Carapaz has gone clear of Yates.

Mas now alone in third place.

Final kilometre of the climb for Carapaz.

Yates at 15 seconds, Mas a further 15 back.

12km to go

Carapaz coming into the final metres of the climb.

Over the top now with Yates still battling.

Another look at the final. It's hard to see where Carapaz is going to lose this, really.

(Image credit: ASO)

10km to go

A fast downhill now for the leaders.

Carapaz is gaining a few seconds here and there.

8km to go

18 seconds to Yates. 40 to Mas.

Back in the peloton, the group has slimmed down to a selection of the best GC contenders.

Almeida leads the way.

Vingegaard is isolated in the group of around 10 riders.

Pogačar has Almeida and Yates.

6km to go

Meanwhile, Carapaz is on the way to a win, over 20 seconds up.

Pogačar attacks!

Vingegaard the first to react but he's struggling.

Evenepoel next on the road.

The GC men still racing to the top of the previous climb.

Vingegaard is dropped and falls behind Evenepoel.

Pogačar pushed on alone.

4km to go

Carapaz 22 seconds up on Yates, 45 up on Mas.

Pogačar crosses the top with around 15 seconds to Evenepoel.

Vingegaard now has Laporte, dropped from the break, helping him.

3km to go

10 seconds between Pogačar and Evenepoel. Vingegaard at 15 seconds down.

Carapaz now taking on the final climb to the line.

Yates crosses the 3km mark. The fight for the stage win is over.

Pogačar racing along with Georg Zimmermann from the break with him.

Vingegaard and Laporte catch Evenepoel.

Now the gap is under 10 seconds.

Evenepoel, Vingegaard, and Laporte make it across to Pogačar.

2km to go

Carapaz now 40 seconds up on Yates.

Will Pogačar try again on the final climb? It's not particularly steep or long...

Now Evenepoel attacks.

The podium trio only moving further clear of the already distant GC challengers filling out the rest of the top 10 here.

1km to go

Into the final kilometre for Carapaz.

He has 35 seconds on Yates.

Finish

The stage win goes to Carapaz. Back down the road, the GC attacks continue.

Evenepoel attacking now!

Vingegaard and Laporte trying to get back to him.

Evenepoel has 2:10 to make up on the Dane in order to take second overall before Nice.

The GC men are racing on that final uphill drag now.

Pogačar sitting behind Vingegaard and Laporte, of course.

Evenepoel reaches teammate Jan Hirt from the breakaway.

They're in the final 3km now.

The gap isn't insignificant here...

Van Aert and Sivakov now with Vingegaard and Pogačar.

Hirt still dragging Evenepoel towards the finish.

Benoot also helping Vingegaard.

15 seconds or so between the groups.

Benoot and Van Aert still working for Vingegaard.

It's a mini-TTT to the finish

Van Aert drops away.

Into the final kilometre for the GC men.

Evenepoel now solo and flying towards the line.

He'll gain time on Vingegaard, but how much?

Into the final 500 metres for Evenepoel.

Evenepoel crosses the line at 7:13 down.

Pogačar leaves Vingegaard behind!

Pogačar at 7:23.

Vingegaard at 7:25.

Evenepoel makes up around 12 seconds on Vingegaard there.

It already seemed like a fantasy to think that Vingegaard might challenge Pogačar for yellow following the events of the Pyrenees. Now, come the Alps, he'll be looking over his shoulder in the standings for Evenepoel.

Carapaz on the road to victory today.

(Image credit: Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

Evenepoel, Pogačar, and Vingegaard may only have finished down in 26th, 27th, and 28th today but the GC battle is unexpectedly the big story of stage 17.

The stage 17 results and new GC standings...

(Image credit: FirstCycling)
(Image credit: FirstCycling)

Tadej Pogačar will be happy with his day. He easily distanced his rivals once again and it looks like he'll have no trouble defending his yellow jersey during the final weekend.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Remco Evenepoel will also be happy. He already had a five-minute lead over fourth and can now look ahead to second place after distancing Jonas Vingegaard twice today.

He's now within two minutes of second place and he has two Alpine stages and the closing time trial to claw it back on Vingegaard.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Visma-Lease A Bike said they'll be taking risks to help Jonas Vingegaard try to beat Pogačar before Nice, but they'll surely now be looking over their shoulders to defend against Evenepoel.

The Dane has been distanced by Pogačar several times before today but it was the first time Evenepoel has looked stronger than him. This was hardly a good omen for the Alps.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Here's our stage 17 report as the GC battle exploded into life behind the breakaway.

Pogačar and Evenepoel warming down alongside one another ahead of the podium ceremony once again.

Stage 17's jersey rundown...

Another day in yellow for Tadej Pogačar and another day where he only looks more likely to carry it all the way to Nice.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Biniam Girmay consolidated his green jersey lead today, gaining a point on Jasper Philipsen. This looks like another jersey battle decided.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Pogačar also holds a commanding lead in the mountain classification. He's on 77 points, 19 clear of Vingegaard, with two hard Alpine stages left to run.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Remco Evenepoel is 8:21 clear of Carlos Rodríguez in the best young rider standings, a dominant lead.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Richard Carapaz isn't in a jersey but he's on the podium today after his stage win.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Romain Gregoire was the most combative rider of the stage.

(Image credit: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)

Pogačar and Evenepoel attack Vingegaard to land psychological blow before Tour de France showdown in the Alps

‘I stretched my legs on the final climb’ - says Pogačar after surprise attack

Just before the Col du Noyer, Simon Yates (Jayco-AlUla) launched a solo attack and took the lead in the race. However, Richard Carapaz would bridge across and then storm ahead for the stage victory, leaving Yates to settle for second and see his best chance of a stage victory in this year’s Tour de France disappear. In summary, Yates said, "the legs are not giving me what I need at the minute".

‘I was running out of legs ‘ - Simon Yates falls short on best chance yet for 2024 Tour de France stage win

Simon Yates (Jayco-AlUla) on his solo attack (Image credit: Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) Evenepoel remains firmly on course for a podium finish at this year's Tour de France, and his aggression in the finale at Superdévoluy on stage 17 indicated that he might yet aim at divesting Vingegaard of second place. 

'I felt Vingegaard was a bit on the limit' – Remco Evenepoel strikes blow in Alps as Tour de France enters final phase

Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) continues in the best young rider jersey (Image credit: Getty Images)

Visma-Lease a Bike leader Jonas Vingegaard struggled a little to stay in touch with the other podium contenders on stage 17. Race leader Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) both managed to distance the Dane on the hardest ascent of the day, Pogačar gained 2 seconds and Evenepoel grabbed 12. Is this a worrying omen as the Alps are yet to come?

Aggressive Visma-Lease a Bike opt for breaks not late attacks on Tour de France mountain stage

Visma's Wout van Aert attacks on stage 17  (Image credit: Getty Images)
(Image credit: Getty Images)
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