TOUR’23 Stage 17: Vingegaard Dominates – Pogačar Cracks – Stage for Gall!

Tour Stage Report: Felix Gall received Queen stage 17 to Courchevel, however behind him within the the GC group, second positioned Tadej Pogačar cracked and misplaced loads of time and any likelihood of profitable the Tour de France. The yellow jersey of Jonas Vingegaard soared away to solidify his lead for his second Tour de France win.

The ultimate kilometre of stage 17

The 2023 Tour de France seems to have been determined. Tadej Pogačar completely blew within the gruelling mountain stage over the Col de la Loze to Courchevel. Jonas Vingegaard will begin the final 4 levels with a big lead. The Danish general chief rode away on the Col de la Loze and is now greater than seven minutes forward of Pogačar. The stage win in Courchevel went to a solo Felix Gall, who stored Simon Yates behind him to the road.

Gorgeous begin in Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc

Christian Prudhomme on stage 17: “The stage will probably be an excellent problem, with greater than 5,000 metres of vertical achieve to take care of or exploit throughout the day. The finale will characteristic the Tour’s second go to to the spectacular Col de la Loze, then plunge into Courchevel, the place the ultimate battle will happen on the altiport’s 18% runway.”

Stage 17 profile

The day after Jonas Vingegaard’s blow to Tadej Pogačar within the time trial to Combloux, the Queen stage of this 12 months’s Tour de France, with greater than 5,000 meters of climbing, with the very powerful Col de la Loze within the finale. Earlier than that, there was the Col des Saisies (13.5km at 5.2%), the Col de Meraillet/Cormet de Roselend (20.3km at 6.1%) and the Côte de Longefoy (6.7km at 7.5%).

Jonas Vingegaard in yellow firstly

The jerseys firstly of stage 17

It was perhaps not going to be Pogačar day, as he crashed on the primary climb. The second general positioned rider was capable of proceed, however with some abrasions on the knee and elbow. The race was being formed early by the fighters for the KOM jersey. Giulio Ciccone strengthened his climbers lead on the Saisies by taking 10 factors.

The beginning correct – Km 0

Jumbo-Visma stored a excessive tempo within the peloton and pulled again a big main group with assist from Pogačar’s Rafal Majka. On the lengthy Cormet de Roseland, the break of the day fashioned, a bunch of 33 males. On the final minute Tiesj Benoot, Wilco Kelderman, Marc Soler and Majka jumped throughout to the group, now each prime favourites had two riders up the highway.

The beginning correct – Km 0

Different riders on the entrance have been Pello Bilbao, Simon Yates, Felix Gall, Guillaume Martin, David Gaudu, Thibaut Pinot, Julian Alaphilippe, Mattias Skjelmose, Krists Neilands, Tobias Halland Johannessen and KOM Ciccone. However the Jumbo-Visma stored the hole small and crossed the highest of the Roseland at 1:30 after the break, the place Ciccone once more took 10 factors.

Lidl-Trek have been going to ensure they held the KOM jersey

Within the main group Lidl-Trek, Bahrain Victorious, Groupama-FDJ and AG2R Citroën did the work. Consequently, the lead elevated to three minutes on the foot of the Longefoy. Little occurred there, besides that Ciccone once more collected the utmost variety of 5 mountain factors.

No flat roads immediately

The descent of the Longefoy was technical and harmful, so everybody was on their guard. Additionally within the favourites group, Wout van Aert guided his chief via the hairpin bends. On the best way to the foot of the lengthy Col de la Loze (28.6km at 6%), INEOS Grenadiers and BORA-hansgrohe tried to shut the hole, in order to not let escapees Bilbao and Yates get nearer to Carlos Rodriguez and Jai Hindley on the general.

Alaphilippe was within the motion once more

The distinction fluctuated round 2:30 on the primary half for a very long time, as a result of on the entrance Ben O’Connor and Jack Haig continued to drive laborious within the thinned main group. They did so till the final 10 kilometres of the climb, the steepest kilometres with slopes of as much as 20%, which introduced the riders to the roof of the Tour at 2,304 metres.

One other day of laborious work for the Jumbo-Visma crew

Even earlier than the actually steep sections had began, the lights went out for Tadej Pogačar. Greater than 8 kilometres from the summit, the Slovenian, together with his jersey absolutely open, may not observe the tempo of the group. The battle for the general victory appeared to be over, as a result of instantly after Pogačar was dropped, Kuss got here to the entrance and began to drive for Vingegaard. They have been nonetheless 2:30 behind the entrance riders, whereas Pogačar was quickly at 30 seconds.

The followers have been out within the Alps

On the entrance, Felix Gall rode away greater than 6 kilometres from the highest, from Simon Yates and Rafal Majka, who had a lead over Gaudu, Bilbao and Kelderman. Kelderman was ready as a result of behind him Sepp Kuss and Benoot had arrange a launch-pad for Vingegaard. The chief of Jumbo-Visma was unleashed and began a solo greater than 4 kilometres from the highest and nobody may observe.

5 levels to go to Paris – No fear for Vingegaard?

Vingegaard was on a rampage, selecting up the escapees one after the other and placing greater than 3 minutes into Pogačar, who had come to a close to full standstill. Two minutes earlier than Vingegaard, who was with Kelderman, Gall was nonetheless main solo with Yates 20 seconds behind. Vingegaard needed to cease as a result of a moto had stalled in a steep nook, however the yellow jersey was capable of proceed pretty rapidly.

Ciccone was being put in the most effective place for the climbing factors

Le Lac de Roselend

Overtaking Gall and Yates earlier than the end was not potential for Vingegaard. The Austrian was the primary on the steep closing stretch and was the primary to achieve the best level of the Tour and took 40 mountain factors. Yates adopted 20 seconds later and Vingegaard, along with Bilbao and Gaudu, at 1:25. After the highest of the Col de la Loze, one other steep and harmful descent of 5.5 kilometres adopted, there was the ending kilometre at 7.7% on the airport run-way of Courchevel.

Vingegaard watching the rear wheel of Pogačar

Giulio Ciccone Giulio was ensuring of the KOM factors

Gall held off Yates on the slim descent, permitting the robust AG2R Citroën climber to rejoice the stage victory. Jayco AlUla’s battle-weary Briton crossed the end line in second place. Greater than a minute and a half later, Vingegaard adopted in fourth place, he needed to let Bilbao go on the very steep closing ramp.

Will there be a Vingegaard/Pogačar battle on the finish of the day?

A crash for Egan Bernal

Pogačar rolled over the end line in Courchevel at 7:37 after Gall, 5:45 from Vingegaard. Because of this on the final classification there’s now a distinction of seven:35 between the yellow and the second positioned Pogačar. Adam Yates is third at 10:45 from Vingegaard, who now seems to have his second Tour within the bag.

Rodriguez was preventing for the rostrum

Behind Adam Yates, Rodriguez is now 4th and Simon Yates moved as much as fifth. Bilbao is fifth, Hindley seventh and Gall climbs as much as eighth after his stage victory. Kuss and Gaudu full the highest 10 with 4 levels to go, together with the powerful Vosges stage to Le Markstein.

Felix Gall went solo

Simon Yates couldn’t catch Gall earlier than the road

Stage winner and eighth general, Felix Gall (AG2R Citroën): “This entire 12 months has been unbelievable. And now to take action properly within the Tour de France, to win the queen stage, it’s unbelievable. I simply wish to thank my crew, as a result of they’ve given me a lot. It’s not simple to do a three-week stage race after which additionally I had the function of chief after few days. We slowly centered on that. I pressured lots about that. But in the previous couple of days I felt increasingly comfy with it. I used to be afraid I used to be going to be caught within the closing kilometres, or within the closing descent. I used to be feeling nice all day lengthy. I didn’t suppose the break had huge likelihood of going for stage win, however we determined to go with a view to get a head begin within the final climb so I may play my probabilities within the closing. I knew the stage was tremendous laborious, and I knew that if we went at a excessive tempo all day I used to be in place to go for victory. Ben [O’Connor] did an excellent job on the final climb. I felt so good on the backside and I simply waited for the steep half. In the direction of the highest, I didn’t really feel nice anymore, however I wished to provide it a attempt. I can’t say is a childhood dream. However one and a half years in the past I couldn’t think about I’d be on this place now.”

A daring win for Felix Gall

Total chief and 4th on the stage, Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma): “I didn’t count on to have such day. It’s laborious to explain. I’m actually relieved. Getting a seven-minute hole is nice. We aren’t in Paris but, there are tough levels to return, and I’m positive Tadej will attempt to do one thing. There are nonetheless some thrilling issues to return on this Tour. I used to be behind Tadej when he crashed. Some man touched his wheel. It’s unlucky for Tadej that this occurred. We waited for him to return again after the crash so as to not revenue from this example. It’s laborious to inform if the crash was the explanation for his efficiency.”

Is that the Tour within the Vingegaard bag?

2nd general, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Workforce Emirates): “I’m ‘useless’. That is in fact a really huge disappointment, and positively not what I wished firstly of the stage. I don’t know what occurred to me. I attempted to eat as a lot as potential however nothing went to my legs. Every thing stayed in my abdomen. I used to be actually empty after 3h30m, on the backside of the Col de la Loze climb. Had I not had such nice assist within the climb, I could have misplaced the rostrum. I stored preventing with Marc [Soler]. I’m grateful to him, and to all my teammates.
My crash got here from a really unfortunate scenario. The break was taking off when some man braked simply in entrance of me and I clipped his wheel. Shit occurs. My knee doesn’t harm an excessive amount of due to the crash – just a bit bit. However I don’t know the way it may need affected me. I feel I used to be significantly better within the Granon stage, so I’ve to say that this has been one of many worst days of my life on the bike. However I needed to maintain preventing, so Marc Soler actually pushed me to my restrict and we made it to the end. I hope to get well over the following two days. We will for the stage win in stage 20. It may be day to intention for the victory. The crew was tremendous robust immediately. If we will get a stage win there, it might be nice. That and maintaining the rostrum with me and Adam could be end.”

The 2023 Tour dream is over for Tadej Pogačar

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Tour de France Stage 17 Outcome:
1. Felix Gall (Aust) AG2R Citroën in 4:49:08
2. Simon Yates (GB) Jayco AlUla at 0:34
3. Pello Bilbao (Spa) Bahrain Victorious at 1:38
4. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Jumbo-Visma at 1:52
5. David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ at 2:09
6. Tobias Halland Johannessen (Nor) Uno-X at 2:39
7. Chris Harper (Aus) Jayco AlUla at 2:50
8. Rafał Majka (Pol) UAE Workforce Emirates at 3:43
9. Adam Yates (GB) UAE Workforce Emirates
10. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Jumbo-Visma at 3:49.

Tour de France Total After Stage 17:
1. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Jumbo-Visma in 67:57:51
2. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Workforce Emirates at 7:35
3. Adam Yates (GB) UAE Workforce Emirates at 10:45
4. Carlos Rodríguez (Spa) INEOS Grenadiers at 12:01
5. Simon Yates (GB) Jayco AlUla at 12:19
6. Pello Bilbao (Spa) Bahrain Victorious at 12:50
7. Jai Hindley (Aus) BORA-hansgrohe at 13:50
8. Felix Gall (Aust) AG2R Citroën at 16:11
9. Sepp Kuss (USA) Jumbo-Visma at 16:49
10. David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ at 17:57.