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Geraint Thomas eclipses his teammate Chris Froome and is now number 1 on Sky.He defends the lead with confidence in the very short 17th stage, while Froome falls to third place.
Geraint Thomas (right) is currently in better shape than Chris Froome. (Image: Christophe Ena / AP (Col du Portet, July 25, 2018))
In the end, this experimental step again solved what she promised. For the actual attacks, however, you had to wait until the last climb. There, Quintana went away. Then the Slovenian Primoz Roglic was eating Froome. Dutchman Tom Dumoulin took the opportunity and slipped to second place.
Disappointed hopes have long dominated this stage. Well, there was a starting grid like in the motorcycle world championship. Geraint Thomas as leader in the overall standings, right and left behind Chris Froome and Tom Dumoulin. Behind them, fourth and fifth, Primoz Roglic and Romain Bardet, completed the formation of the arrow. Unlike the organizers hoped for, the best riders but not on the pedals. Only assistants and stage hunters took advantage of the opportunity to escape. Old star Alejandro Valverde mingled with them. The professional Movistar served as relay for his captains Mikel Landa and Nairo Quintana in front of him
Froome praises competitor Thomas
The second ascent of the day, the Col de Val Louron-Azet, was part of the favorite group only minor attacks from Bardet and Dan Dan (UAE). They did not do any damage though. Sky controlled the group, but was replaced by Movistar's help, Marc Soler. Soler drove and drove as he was on Team Sky's payroll. Nobody dared to attack. The supposedly explosive displacement towards the Col du Portet seemed to be only a normal mountain stage. Under Sky's control, the rivals flickered and, in front, some fugitives tried to run the race of their lives
Then, finally, at the foot of the Col du Portet, the race began. Quintana took the lead job of teammate Soler and pulled out of the pack. The Sky professionals spoke enthusiastically in their pickups, but apparently they were ordered to let the Colombians go. When only two kilometers later, the Slovlic Roglic resumed, followed by the second overall Froome. The duo went away, and it was not clear whether Froome wanted to score the rival or use the attack to give himself time to teammate Thomas. Captain Sunweb Dumoulin has now resumed the persecution. Thomas was in his shadow.
Dumoulin filled the gap while Quintana quickly received help from his teammate Valverde. The Colombian has continually reduced the gap to Kangert and has passed 8.5 km before the summit. In the group of favorites attacked about 5 km from the arrival of the Dutch Kruijswijk, later teammate Roglic. Futile effort. Two kilometers from the finish, Dumoulin accelerates. Froome was now distant. Thomas, however, got up and even became a third in the scene. He is the new king of the tour. "I still have a bit of hope, but in the last two and a half weeks, Thomas was clearly the strongest, I did not have time to take it," Dumoulin said. disappointed in a laurel wreath, and Froome said, "Sure, I'm a little disappointed. But Geraint is right in front of it. And I hope it stays that way until Paris. "Only one Pyrenean stage remains to disappoint Froome once again."
When the Sprinter moves in the mountains
The first 100 meters are over, Arnaud Demare has already dropped out of the peloton The muscular sprinter of Team FDJeux is the last pure sprinter of the Pyrenees.He has had his rest so far, he was whispered in the peloton, but mostly to hang on to the team vehicle.For halfway through the 17th stage, After the first of three climbs he was already 15 minutes late, the time limit was 38 minutes, it would be close, before the climb to the last summit, the gap was 20 minutes, and Demare must have been bravely defeated at the Col de Val Louran-Azet.The fact that he lost only nine minutes on the climber Nairo Quintana on the last climb, but furious the sprint rivalry already retired André Greipel. "Someone should say to Demare that there is a sui vi GPS on the tour. Respect for losing only nine minutes on a rise of 17km, "tweeted Greipel.The suspicion: Demare was again stopped on the car.For the flat phase of today, he is a favorite. (Tm)
105th Tour de France Stage 17: Bagneres-de-Luchon-Saint-Lary-Soulan (65km): 1. Quintana (COL) 2:21:27 2. Martin (IRL) 0:28 back 3. Thomas 0:47 4. Roglic (SLO) 0:52 5. Dumoulin (NED), same time 6. Kruijswijk (NED) 1:05 7. Bernal (COL) 1.33 8. Froome (GBR) 1:35 9. Landa (ESP), same time 10. Sakarin (RUS) 2:01 11. Majka (POL) 2:20 12. Valverde (ESP) 2: 32. 13. Bardet (ENG) 2:35 Also: 15. Fuglsang (DEN) 4:00 pm 65th Küng (SUI) 7:37 pm 66. Frank (SUI) 74. Schär (SUI), both at the same 85. Dillier (SUI) 21:03 Not started: Gilbert (BEL / Pause of the kneecap)
General classification: 1. Thomas 70:34:11 2. Dumoulin 1:59 3. Froome 2:31 4. Roglic 2:47 5. Quintana 3.30 6. Kruijswijk 4:19 7. Landa 4:34 8. Bardet 5: 13. Further: 48. Frank 1:31:42. 51. Küng 1:34:20. 85. Dillier 2:16:26. 93. Schar 2:25:37.
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