Geschke Wins Stage 17, Van Garderen Withdraws
Simon Geschke, Team Giant-Alpecin, won Stage 17 of the Tour de France today. This victory is Geschke's first Tour victory. Nairo Quintana, Movistar Team, and Chris Froome, Team Sky, battled each other in the final kilometer of the stage. Alberto Contador, Tinkoff-Saxo, came in two minutes behind Chris Froome. There are significant changes in the GC competition standings (shown below), including the withdrawal of Tejay Van Garderen, BMC Racing Team. With only three Alpine stages left after today, it looks like Quintana is the only GC competitor who can overtake Froome. Peter Sagan, Tinkoff-Saxo, increased his advantage in the Points competition over André Greipel, Lotto-Soudal.
A breakaway group of twenty-five riders formed with Peter Sagan, Tinkoff-Saxo, moving nearly three minutes ahead of the Yellow Jersey group. Peter Sagan apparently wants to grab some more points in the intermediate sprint. Van Garderen fell behind the main peloton when Quintana launched a probing attack, and the peloton responded. Team Sky was leading the peloton throughout the stage allowing Froome to keep an eye on the GC contenders.
Alberto Contador, Tinkoff-Saxo, opens a probing attack of his own, and the peloton responds again. The increase in speed leaves Van Garderen behind the peloton again after briefly joining it. Van Garderen abandoned the Tour due to illness with 70 km (43.5 miles) to go in the stage. He was the top American in the GC standings in third place. Tony Gallopin was also falling behind the peloton as well.
Geschke pulled away from the breakaway group to lead the climb up the Col d'Allos. Thibaut Pinot, FDJ, went after Geschke leaving Andrew Talansky, Team Cannondale-Garmin, behind. Froome became isolated within the peloton and Nibali, and Quintana tried to pull away from Froome in separate attacks. Richie Porte came back from a breakaway chase group to support Froome. Contador was involved in a small crash in the technical descent from the Col d'Allos. Nibali, Quintana, Alejandro Valverde, Movistar Team, and Froome are together with Contador trailing.
Pinot was passed on the descent by a few riders, including Talansky, chasing Geschke. A number of teams and riders have made attacks and other moves to move up in the GC standings after Van Garderen's withdrawal from the Tour.
Stage 17 Results
1.
|
Simon Geschke
|
Team Giant-Alpecin
|
04h 12' 17''
| |
2.
|
Andrew Talansky
|
Team Cannondale-Garmin
|
04h 12' 49''
|
+ 00' 32''
|
3.
|
Rigoberto Uran
|
Etixx-Quick Step
|
04h 13' 18''
|
+ 01' 01''
|
4.
|
Thibaut Pinot
|
FDJ
|
04h 13' 53''
|
+ 01' 36''
|
5.
|
Mathias Frank
|
IAM Cycling
|
04h 13' 57''
|
+ 01' 40''
|
Points Competition Standings
1.
|
Peter Sagan
|
Tinkoff-Saxo
|
420 pts
|
2.
|
André Greipel
|
Lotto-Soudal
|
316 pts
|
3.
|
John Degenkolb
|
Team Giant-Alpecin
|
281 pts
|
4.
|
Mark Cavendish
|
Etixx-Quick Step
|
192 pts
|
King of the Mountains Competition Standings
1.
|
Chris Froome
|
Team Sky
|
61 pts
|
2.
|
Joachim Rodriguez
|
Team Katusha
|
52 pts
|
3.
|
Jakob Fuglsang
|
Astana Pro Team
|
41 pts
|
4.
|
Serge Pauwels
|
MTN-Qhubeka
|
40 pts
|
5.
|
Richie Porte
|
Team Sky
|
40 pts
|
GC Competition Standings
1.
|
Chris Froome
|
Team Sky
|
69h 06' 49''
| |
2.
|
Nairo Quintana
|
Movistar Team
|
69h 09' 59''
|
+ 03' 10''
|
3.
|
Alejandro Valverde
|
Movistar Team
|
69h 10' 58''
|
+ 04' 09''
|
4.
|
Geraint Thomas
|
Team Sky
|
69h 13' 23''
|
+ 06' 34''
|
5.
|
Alberto Contador
|
Tinkoff-Saxo
|
69h 13' 29''
|
+ 06' 40''
|
6.
|
Robert Gesink
|
Team Lotto NL - Jumbo
|
69h 14' 28''
|
+ 07' 39''
|
7.
|
Vincenzo Nibali
|
Astana Pro Team
|
69h 14' 53''
|
+ 08' 04''
|
8.
|
Mathias Frank
|
IAM Cycling
|
69h 15' 36''
|
+ 08' 47''
|
9.
|
Bauke Mollema
|
Trek Factory Racing
|
69h 18' 36''
|
+ 11' 47''
|
10.
|
Warren Barguil
|
Team Giant-Alpecin
|
69h 19' 57''
|
+ 13' 08''
|
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