104th Tour de France 2017 Stage 18 - Briancon › Izoard (178km)
Gallery: 2017 Tour de France, Stage 18
Frenchman Warren Barguil (Sunweb) attacked the final selection of GC favorites on the steep slopes of the Col d’Izoard, and then overcame the remnants of the day’s breakaway, to claim Stage 18 resplendent in the polka-dot jersey of King of the Mountains.
Stage 18 would be the final battle in the mountains, culminating on the Col d’Izoard, the last chance for GC men to challenge yellow jersey Chris Froome before Saturday’s individual time trial in Marseilles.
And while there were changes on the general classification on the day, there was little change among the top three riders vying for the podium in Paris. Froome (Team Sky) continues to wear the maillot jaune, with both Romain Bardet (Ag2r La Mondiale) and Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale-Drapac) within 30 seconds.
Dan Martin (Quick-Step Floors), Bardet, and Mikel Landa (Team Sky) all attacked from the group of favorites, with Landa opening daylight before Froome attempted to bridge up to his teammate and contend for the stage win. The attacks distanced several riders, including Italian Fabio Aru (Astana), who started the day fourth overall but would lose 1:02 to Froome and Bardet and drop to fifth, 1:55 behind Froome.
Uran chased down Froome’s attack with Bardet on his wheel, and the four riders — Landa, Froome, Uran, and Bardet — converged at 1km to go.
Ahead, Darwin Atapuma (UAE Emirates), riding from the daylong breakaway, held on for second, with Bardet finishing third on the stage, taking the remaining four seconds of time bonus available. Froome and Bardet crossed the line 20 seconds behind Barguil but two seconds ahead of Uran, meaning that Bardet took a total of six seconds on the Colombian.
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- Michael Matthews (Sunweb) appeared collected at the start in Briancon, happy with his new green jersey.
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- The jersey wearers took the line in Briancon for the final mountain stage of the 2017 Tour.
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- It would be a picturesque one in the high Alps, with two major ascents, the Col de Vars and the Col d’Izoard.
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- 104th Tour de France 2017 Stage 18 – Briancon › Izoard (178km)
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- MIkel Landa (Sky) was given the green light to attack near the top of the Izoard after remaining with team leader Chris Froome up the majority of the climb.
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- Young French talent Warren Barguil attacked six kilometers from the summit of the Col d’Izoard and held his margin to the line, overcoming remnant of the earlier breakaway Darwin Atapuma (UAE Team Emirates).
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- Landa assumed his typical position leading Froome after his own attempt was quelled by the attack and subsequent chase of Romain Bardet (AG2R)
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- Like Stage 17 the day prior, Tsgabu Grmay (Bahrain-Merida) rode himself into the breakaway yet again on Stage 18. The 2017 Tour is the Ethiopian’s first.
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- After reeling in Bardet’s attack, Froome made an attempt of his own. Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale-Drapac) tenaciously clawed his way back to the Brit on the false flat before the final grade of the Izoard.
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- The day’s work finished, Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky) made his way to the summit of the Izoard and even took a moment to appreciate the view.
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- 104th Tour de France 2017 Stage 18 – Briancon › Izoard (178km)
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- The attack of Bardet was vicious and explosive, creating distance immediately. He was brought back by a cautious Froome almost immediately, however.
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- Simon Yates has navigated the final mountains test and finished ninth on the stage. “I had better legs today than yesterday and I didn’t lose much time so I think it was a good day,” Yates said. “I tried to do my own ride and my own rhythm and tackle the climb like this. I gave it everything so I have to be happy.” “I was a little bit off that top group of riders on the final climb, I think it has been that way this whole Tour, but I am still happy with where I am at and how I have been riding.” Yates holds a two-minute six-second lead to Meinjtes with two road stages and the penultimate time trial still to come.
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- Warren Barguil won atop the Col d’Izoard on Stage 18 at the 2017 Tour de France.
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- He posted up with an acknowledgement to his late grandfather, an influential figure in his initial introduction to the sport.
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- Bardet took third behind a relentless Atapuma, who held onto a second place finish after a long day in the breakaway. Bardet’s four second time bonus for third moves him ahead of Uran, 23 seconds down from Froome.
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- Esteban Chaves finished 88th on the difficult stage.
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- Only three more stages remain in the 2017 Tour de France, Paris coming as a respite from the cumulative pain of the brutal event.
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- Haimar Zubeldia (Trek-Segafredo) had a rough day and possibly not regretting his retirement announcement after 20 seasons of racing. On the second rest day of the Tour de France, the 40-year-old confirmed that he would hang up his wheels following the Clásica San Sebastián at the end of the month.
