Riders arrived in Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux for the start of stage 17 of Tour de France 2024. Proud Tour de France organizer Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.) had designed an interesting route in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes department of France.

The 177.8-kilometer route of this year’s pedal odyssey would take the riders into the Alps on a challenging and mountainous route from Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux to Superdevoluy. The stage finale would be contested on a Category 3 climb, after the riders had tested their legs on both a Category 2 climb and a Category 1 climb late in the stage. Not least fast and challenging descents awaited the combatants. 

Elmar Reinders (Jayco-Alula) and Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain – Victorious) were non-starters. While one of them was ill, the other was so fortunate to have become a father overnight.

Several teams were eager to send riders into breakaways from the very start of the stage. The large teams had dominated this year’s Tour, so many teams were still reaching out for success in form of a stage victory. Discontent was growing within the peloton as many riders and teams needed notable and valuable success in the greatest Grand Tour to be able to extend contracts and sponsorship agreements.

The conditions were windy in the first kilometers of the stage, and this caused the Tour de France peloton to split into multiple echelons. Not only were many teams looking for breakaway success with a broad selection of riders, but the Visma – Lease a Bike team was visibly challenging UAE Team Emirates’ Tadej Pogacar from the start in an attempt at putting his Tour lead in danger - for the benefit of its own defending Tour Champion Jonas Vingegaard.

The Tour peloton was passing through breathtakingly charming French territory, which included sights such as the Pont Roman and the Chateau de Grignan – a Renaissance and classical palace situated on rocky headland.

Though the echelons that had formed in the peloton regrouped, the speed was still intense at the front. Welshman Geraint Thomas (Ineos-Grenadiers) launched an attack with Sebastien Grignard (Lotto-Dstny) with 150 kilometers left. The duo, however, was unable to fight its way to a viable lead.

Once again, the weather conditions were sunny and dry. The temperatures reached no less than 32 degrees Celsius in the valley stretches, so the professional Tour riders were spotted wearing their FlowBio hydration sensors that helped them optimize their hydration and racing performance in the best possible manner in the hot weather.

United Kingdom-based BuzzBike was rumored to be about to expand its bike leasing business beyond London and Manchester and into Europe, so the Visma – Lease a Bike team needed television time for its team sponsor, as the chances of Jonas Vingegaard winning this year’s Tour were now looking dim. The team sent Wout van Aert into a breakaway group that also featured Jarrad Drizners (Lotto-Dstny), Harold Tejada (Astana), and Tobias Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility). The quartet was caught with 141 kilometers remaining.

Geraint Thomas was still active at the front with 127 kilometers remaining. He was joined by teammates and strong riders from other teams. Riders such as Jonathan Castroviejo, Wout van Aert, Sean Quinn, and Ben Healy were pushing hard on their pedals.

Magnus Cort tried his luck again. Alas, Count Bluebeard had turned into Count Graybeard overnight and not only had Cort’s beard very disappointingly lost its colorful magic, his energy had apparently also faded. There was still time for his team staff to find some durable hair dye before the Tour finish in Nice and dye his moustache in the French tricolore colors to honor Le Tour and France – a tribute that would never be forgotten by the French people.

As it turned out there were still sufficient elements of blue left in Cort’s moustache for him to be able to engage in an additional breakaway effort. The Uno-X Mobility rider established a group with Bob Jungels (Red Bull – Bora - Hansgrohe), Romain Gregoire (Groupama-FDJ), and Tiesj Benoot (Team Visma – Lease a Bike) and they had a thirty second lead with 115 kilometers of the stage remaining. 

The front quartet had an advantage of thirty-eight seconds over the main peloton when one hundred kilometers remained. With eighty kilometers remaining, the front group had increased its advantage over the main peloton to one minute. Meanwhile, a chase group had been established between the front group and the peloton. The chase group was just fifteen seconds ahead of the main peloton at this point. A few kilometers later the chase group had been caught, while the front quartet pressed on.

Attacks were still being launched from the main peloton with 75 kilometers remaining. Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) and Wout van Aert were among the riders who tried their luck.

Team Visma-Lease a Bike and other teams were still attempting to launch riders into additional breakaway groups as the Tour de France approached the mountains on today’s route with fifty kilometers remaining. Wout van Aert and Christophe Laporte were among the active riders.

The front quartet reached the Col Bayard (Category Two) with a lead of four minutes over the chasing peloton. However, a large group of chasers featuring more than forty riders had been established before the major climbs of the stage were reached. The chase group featured strong riders and was just 01:30 minutes behind the front group.

Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ) and Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) attacked from the chase group on the Col Bayard and fought hard in an attempt of bridging the gap to the front quartet.  

Cort was first across the top of the Col Bayard and banked the maximum points for the best climber competition ahead of Romain Gregoire and Bob Jungels. 

The front group approached the Col du Noyer (Category One) with an advantage of thirty-seven seconds over the French chase duo. The larger chase group was further behind, while the main peloton featuring the General Classification contenders had a time deficit of more than seven minutes. Apparently, Jonas Vingegaard, Tadej Pogacar, and Remco Evenepoel had allowed breakaway riders to battle for the stage victory in today’s stage 17 of Tour de France 2024.

Frenchmen Martin and Madouas caught the front quartet on the Col du Noyer and the sextet carried on in joint fashion. They were working hard for the stage victory, which would work wonders for the winner’s career.

However, attacks were launched from the chase group behind them. Simon Yates (Jayco-Alula) accelerated on the climb as was he riding an e-bike. He caught the front group when approximately six kilometers of the climb remained and pressed on past them. He was now chasing the win solo.

Richard Carapaz (EF Ecuation-EasyPost) ad Stephen Williams (Team PremierTech) had also initiated an attack from the large chase group. The duo passed the original breakaway contenders. Carapaz later dropped Williams and continued his chase solo when four kilometers remained. He was four seconds behind front man Yates.

Carapaz caught Yates and the duo pressed on together – until the two-kilometer mark where Carapaz accelerated and launched a fierce attack. Yates got dropped.

Olympic Road Cycling Champion Carapaz reached the top of the Category One Col du Noyer with a time advantage of thirteen seconds over Yates. Enric Mas (Movistar) was chasing 34 seconds behind the Ecuadorian front man.

The riders entered the fast and challenging descent, which could prove dangerous to the riders. The time differences were so small that chances would have to be taken on the downward slope. 

In the main peloton action occurred on the Col du Noyer. Pogacar attacked solo and Vingegaard and Evenepoel tried to counter. Defending Tour de France Champion Vingegaard was unable to follow Pogacar, while Evenepoel passed the Dane in pursuit of the Slovenian general classification leader. 

Pogacar was the first of the GC favorites to reach the top of Col du Noyer. Evenepoel was seven seconds behind Pogacar, while Vingegaard had a deficit of 13 seconds.

Meanwhile, Carapaz was pressing on at the front of the race. He was aiming for the stage victory and things were starting to look very good for the Olympic Champion. Carapaz had an advantage of more than thirty seconds over Yates when the breakaway optimists entered the Superdevoluy (Category Three), which was the final climb to the finish line.

Carapaz further increased his lead on the Superdevoluy. When two kilometers remained, he had a forty second advantage. The EF Education-EasyPost team would finally get their stage victory in today’s stage 17 and the American team could show off in their pink Cadillacs. 

Carapaz crossed the finish line in solo fashion with his arms raised above his head and pointing to the team sponsors on his jersey. It was a very well-deserved stage victory for Carapaz, who has fought hard in this year’s Tour and launched numerous attack efforts in several stages.

Yates was the next rider across the finish line, while Mas completed the stage podium.

The general classification favorites finally approached the finish line of today’s stage. Evenepoel had continued his attack and was ahead of a group featuring Pogacar, Vingegaard, Laporte and van Aert with 800 meters remaining. The Belgian rider had a twelve second advantage.

Evenepoel was the first General Classification favorite to reach the finish line in Superdevoluy 07:13 minutes behind stage winner Carapaz. Pogacar finished ten seconds behind Evenepoel, while Vingegaard was twelve seconds slower than Soudal-QuickStep team captain Evenepoel.

While Evenepoel gained a few seconds on Pogacar and Vingegaard and Pogacar gained a few seconds on Vingegaard, there were no significant changes to the top of the general classification following today’s stage. Tadej Pogacar leads for UAE Team Emirates ahead of Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma – Lease a Bike) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) before the Tour de France reaches its climax this week in this year’s edition of the legendary Grand Tour.

Stay tuned to Roadcycling.com for additional coverage from Tour de France 2024.

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