Tour de France Stage 17: Pogačar Wins However Can’t Shake Vingegaard

UAE’s Tadej Pogačar picked up a few seconds on his overall deficit and a third stage win at the 2022 Tour de France, but the big winner on stage 17 was Jonas Vingegaard of Jumbo Visma. Riding apart from any teammates on the final two climbs behind the infernal pace set by UAE’s Brandon McNulty, Vingegaard stayed firmly on the wheel of Pogačar, defending his now rather firm grip on the maillot jaune with just one mountain stage remaining.

Afterward Pogačar celebrated the stage win, a major success considering he had lost even more support when Rafal Majka succumbed to a thigh injury and left UAE with just four riders. Mikkel Bjerg also contributed a vicious pace on the penultimate climb of the Col de Val Louron-Azet, but McNulty took over before the completion of that climb and left nothing but carnage in his wake. Forcing the pace all the way to the finish, McNulty nabbed third on the stage, his best result in the Tour, which he is racing for the second time. He gave Pogačar a reason to believe he has a chance to steal the Tour back from Vingegaard, even though that prospect is becoming increasingly unlikely.

Geraint Thomas of INEOS shipped significant time to the top pair and can no longer count on anything better than third place overall, but he lengthened his lead over fourth-placed Nairo Quintana. BORA’s Simon Geschke maintained his hold on the KOM jersey, although it is very much at risk tomorrow, with two HC climbs (20 points to the winner) and a cat 1 (10).

Results:

1. Tadej Pogacar UAE Team Emirates, 03:25:51
2. Jonas Vingegaard Jumbo-Visma, + 00
3. Brandon McNulty UAE Team Emirates, + 32
4. Geraint Thomas INEOS Grenadiers, + 02:07
5. Alexey Lutsenko Astana Qazaqstan Team, + 02:34
6. Romain Bardet Team DSM, + 02:38
7. David Gaudu Groupama-FDJ, + 03:27
8. Aleksandr Vlasov BORA-hansgrohe, + 03:32
9. Louis Meintjes Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert, + 03:32
10. Nairo Quintana Team Arkéa-Samsic, + 03:32
11. Nick Schultz Team BikeExchange-Jayco, + 03:38
12. Enric Mas Movistar Team+ 03:44

GC:

1. Jonas Vingegaard Jumbo-Visma, 67:53:54
2. Tadej Pogacar UAE Team Emirates, + 02:18
3. Geraint Thomas INEOS Grenadiers, + 04:56
4. Nairo Quintana Team Arkéa-Samsic, + 07:53
5. David Gaudu Groupama-FDJ, + 07:57
6. Romain Bardet Team DSM, + 09:21
7. Louis Meintjes Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert, + 09:24
8. Aleksandr Vlasov BORA-hansgrohe, + 09:56
9. Enric Mas Movistar Team, + 16:35
10. Alexey Lutsenko Astana Qazaqstan Team, + 16:50

KOM

1. Simon Geschke, BORA, 64 points
2. Vingegaard, 52
3. Pogačar, 46

Saint Gaudens – Peyragudes 129.7 km

Short and sharp but a classic multi-climb stage as setting for the next chapter in the Vingegaard/Pogacar duel.

Expected finish: 16:50 – 17:15 CEST

Airporter of the Day : Nick Schultz

Looking at people climbing well this Tour who can go in the break. Because no one has the team to control this and unless Pogi starts attacking from way out the break should make it, even on a short stage I think.

Official site , Startlist