Summary

  • Stage 17: Digne-les-Bains - Pra Loup, 161km

  • Simon Geschke wins stage

  • GC contender Van Garderen retires

  • Froome keeps lead of 3mins 10secs

Live Reporting

Chris Osborne

  1. Until tomorrow then

    Stage 18Le Tour

    A first-time stage winner. A GC contender retiring. Contador and Pinot crashing. A sprint between yellow jersey rivals.

    It was a pretty straightforward day overall.

    Tomorrow should be a similar affair on the 186.5km from Gap to Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne. Although there is no climb finish, so any attacks from Quintana will have to come early.

    "This should be a day for the breakaway to succeed," says Geraint Thomas in our stage preview.  

    Stay on the BBC Sport website for more reaction and the BeSpoke podcast, but join me again tomorrow, when we'll do it all over.

  2. I came as a helper for john but knew I could go for my own chances and today was that day. I didn't feel great this morning. I was going with the flow and suddenly I was in a bigger group and thought i'd give it a try. I hope Germany is proud.

    Simon Geschke on ITV4

  3. It's raining

    The stragglers cross the line in the nick of time. The heavens have opened.

  4. "Quintana is still pushing me and testing me. In that last km he was pushing on to see if i could respond. I'm feeling alright and just hoping to stay on my bike the next few days."

    Chris Froome on ITV4

  5. Jersey holders after stage 17

    Yellow - Chris Froome

    Green - Peter Sagan

    Team - Movistar

    Polka dot - Chris Froome (worn by second-placed Joaquim Rodriguez)

    White (young rider) - Nairo Quintana

  6. That beard. It's absolutely pristine.

  7. I've got my climbing legs back but it was disappointing not to be in the front group. Alberto Contador crashed in front of me. I think he maybe hit a rock or something like that - but it can change the whole dynamic of the race.

    Richie Porte on ITV4

  8. Handshake

    After their sprint to the line, Nauro Quintana made a point of going over to Chris Froome to shake the Briton's hand. Is that the Colombian suggesting the yellow jersey race is over, or just a signof respect?

  9. Wiggo makes history

    Since you've mentioned Wiggo, Matt, it only seems to fair to look back at this...

  10. Get Involved

    #bbccycling

    Ben Sutton:  Obv want Froome to win the GC but actually punched the air when I saw the update about G. What a ride from the Welshman

    Matt Taggart : The last former track cyclist finishing 4th in the TdF, didn't he do rather well afterwards?

  11. I didn't feel super but I managed to hang in there. For me it's decent and for Froome even better. At one point we thought about going for the stage but thought 'hold on'. The team is strong and we're communicating really well. When you look at the GC, Nibali is not a major threat. but when it comes to the final climb he just has to watch Nairo or Valverde.

    Geraint Thomas on ITV4

  12. Yellow jersey

    Confirmation that Chris Froome's lead stays at 3mins 10secs. Geraint Thomas, aided by Tejay van Garderen's retirement and Alberto Contador's late fall, is up to fourth. The Welshman is becoming the story of the Tour.

    GCLe Tour

  13. Rob Hayles
    Former GB cyclist

    "Froome was completely outnumbered in that final run-in. Movistar did the best they could under the circumstances but there wasn't enough road to make the time up. They wre unasble to crack Froome. I'm sure we will see similar things to this over the next few days."

  14. Thomas fourth

    Well, it wasn't only enough to keep him sixth. Geraint Thomas has moved up to fourth in the GC we are hearing.

    Geraint ThomasAP

  15. Granite Thomas

    And there's the man made of stone, Geraint 'granite' Thomas. He's on his tod and gritting his teeth like a champion. It will be a few seconds lost but should be enough to keep him sixth in the GC.

  16. Yellow jersey

    Nairo Quintana pips Chris Froome to the line, but they will have the same time, and the yellow jersey gap stays as it was. Vincenzo Nibali is over now and will have lost a few seconds.

  17. Quintana v Froome

    Quintana comes off the back of the group, but guess who is with him. Quintana looks to his right and is almost bewildered to see the Sky man with him. They are in a sprint finish..

    Quintana and Froome make a move@letour

  18. A rip in the shorts of Alberto Contador confirms his mechanical was a result of a fall.

  19. Mathias Frank has finished fifth on the stage. He should be a big mover in the GC, and was about seven minutes behind Froome at the start of the day.

  20. Froome holding on

    Chris Froome is absolutely unshakable. Nairo Quintana goes, Froome gets him. Vincenzo Nibali goes, Froome gets him. Alejandro Valverde considers it, but knows that Froome would probably get him.