Maciej Bodnar (Bora-Hansgrohe) took the biggest victory of his career Saturday in Marseille, riding to victory on the 22km Stage 20 individual time trial at the Tour de France.
However the biggest winner on the day was yellow jersey Chris Froome (Team Sky), who defended his lead and rode to an impressive third on the day, five seconds behind teammate Michal Kwiatkowski, who finished just one second behind Bodnar.
Froome now leads the general classification by almost a minute over Rigoberto Uran of Cannondale-Drapac, with only the processional stage into Paris remaining.
Bodnar’s win marks Bora-Hansgrohe’s second of the 2017 Tour after Peter Sagan’s Stage 3 win in Longwy. Sagan’s subsequent disqualification left the German team looking for another stage win, and Bodnar delivered on the seaside course in Marseilles.
There would be a GC shakeup between second and third place, as Romain Bardet (Ag2r La Mondiale) had a tough day on course in Marseilles, succumbing almost 90 seconds to third place Uran, who overtook the Frenchman to take second on the general classification. Bardet nearly lost his podium spot, maintaining third on the classification by just one second over Froome’s teammate Mikel Landa, who finished 15th on the stage, 51 seconds back.
Uran had a strong ride on Stage 20 despite a final corner mishap that saw him narrowly avoid a crash. The Colombian took eighth in the time trial, 31 seconds down on Bodnar.
Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo) also had an impressive showing on Stage 20, his individual effort awarding him sixth on the stage, 21 seconds back from Bodnar. The Spaniard’s result moved him above mountains classification leader Warren Barguil (Sunweb) in the general classification, to ninth.
Simon Yates (Orica-Scott) finished 1:34 down on the stage, successfully defending his white best young rider jersey, leading Louis Meintjes (UAE Team Emirates) by 2:06.
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- ‘Orange Velodrome’ football stadium was where the ITT started and finished in Marseille.
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- A rider from Cofidis leaves the Stade Velodrome in Marseilles, which played host to the start and finish of the 22 kilometer individual time trial.
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- Taylor Phinney was one of the first to make it to the hot seat and stayed there until dethroned by Maciej Bondar who eventually won the stage.
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- An unappreciated seaside view greeted the riders midway through their time trial.
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- Maciej Bondar started the stage early and would be the eventual winner.
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- Alberto Contador warming up.
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- Tony Martin, current ITT World Champion, took 4th on the stage.
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- With Tony Martin’s technique of affixing sandpaper to his saddle, nobody can question his commitment…
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- Tony Martin (Katusha-Alpecin) left everything on the road during the Stage 20 individual time trial.
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- Laurens Ten Dam, Koen de Kort and Michael Matthews waiting for their start.
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- Koen de Kort (Trek-Segafredo) saluted the masses within the Stade Velodrome.
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- Matthew Hayman bandaged up after a crash on the previous stage.
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- Barring disaster, Michael Matthews has firmed up his first Green Jersey title at the Tour de France. Even though Mattews is considered a rouleur type of rider (and perhaps a sprinter), his past exceptional time trialling performances go without mention. He finished 78th on the stage.
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- Bauke Mollema finished 34th on the stage.
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- Nairo Quintana finished 34th today and is clearly not on top form after racing the Giro d’Italia in May. If rumours are true, it will be interesting to see which team he signs with next season.
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- Alberto Contador finished 6th today and firmed up his 9th position in the general classification.
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- Chris Froome (Sky) finished an impressive third on the day, retaining his yellow jersey heading into Paris tomorrow.
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- Dan Martin and Simon Yates were fierce competitors for the past three weeks finishing 6th and 7th overall respectively, but after Stage 20 had some time to reflect on a gruelling July.
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- Fabio Aru finished 22nd on the day and 5th overall.
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- Veteran Bernhard Eisel, largely considered to be one of the ‘patrons of the peloton.’
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- Talyor Phinney in the hot seat.
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- Bodnar in the hot seat and never leaving.
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- Warren Barguil
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- Dan Martin finishing 40th on the stage
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- Warren Barguil finishing 19th on the stage
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- This is what elation combined with with exhaustion looks like.
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- The anguish of one measly second! Romain Bardet had a tough day on course in Marseilles, succumbing almost 90 seconds to third place Uran, who overtook the Frenchman to take second on the general classification.
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- Media swarmed after a difficult day saw Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale) lose over two minutes in the general classification. He narrowly holds onto third place, one second ahead of Mikel Landa (Sky)
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- “It was a really amazing day for me today,” Bodnar said. “I’ve waited a long time for this moment, for my first stage victory at the Tour de France. When I was a child, my dream was to race in the Tour de France, and now I’ve taken a stage. It is a fantastic moment. “I’d like to thank my girlfriend who always stood by me, my mother and, of course, my father who, unfortunately, passed away and wasn’t able to watch this great moment. Thanks go also to my team, Bora-Hansgrohe. This victory is for them. We had a tough start at the Tour this year and this victory goes also to Peter [Sagan] and Rafal [Majka]. We have shown we are a great group.”
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- A stoic Bodnar atop the podium.
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- “It’s an amazing feeling,” Froome said. “It was so close coming into this time trial, it was basically all still to race for out on the roads today. I’m blown away, it’s just an amazing feeling. I just spoke with my wife, she’s headed to Paris today with my son, and I can’t wait to get there. “This has been the closest and most hard fought of my Tour victories. Given the route we had this year, it was always going to be a close race, but I didn’t expect it to come down to the line here in Marseille.”