Tour de France – Stage 17

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Tinkoff Saxo rider Rafal Majka claims his second stage win at Saint-Lary Pla d’Adet as Nibali dominates the GC battle yet again

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Tour de France – Stage 17

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The Tinkoff show goes on! Following Michael Rogers’ day of glory in the first day in the Pyrenees, Rafal Majka claimed his second stage win at Saint-Lary Pla d’Adet. The Polish rider took advantage of his triumph to increase his lead over Joaquim Rodriguez in the King of the Mountains competition.

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22 riders in the lead after the col du Portillon
Sergio Paulinho (Tinkoff), Blel Kadri (AG2R), Tom-Jelte Slagter (Garmin), Yukiya Arashiro and Cyril Gautier (Europcar), Jens Voigt (Trek), Nicolas Edet (Cofidis) and Martin Elmiger (IAM) attacked in the second kilometre of racing.

They got caught at the beginning of the ascent to the col du Portillon after covering more than 50km in the first hour! Six riders rode away at the initiative of Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) who had the polka dot jersey as his main objective of the day.

Alessandro De Marchi (Cannondale), Kristijan Durasek (Lampre), Nicolas Roche (Tinkoff), Bauke Mollema (Belkin) and David Lopez (Sky) accompanied him.

After Rodriguez took ten points at the Portillon, 16 riders bridged the gap in the downhill: Vassil Kiriyenka (Sky), Jesus Herrada, Jon Izagirre and Giovanni Visconti (Movistar), Rafal Majka (Tinkoff), Jakob Fuglsang (Astana), Blel Kadri (AG2R), Tom Dumoulin (Giant), Jurgen Van den Broeck (Lotto), Amaël Moinard and Peter Velits (BMC), Pierre Rolland, Yukiya Arashiro and Cyril Gautier (Europcar), Fränck Schleck (Trek) and Rein Taaramäe (Cofidis).

Kiriyenka alone in the mountains
Kiriyenka attacked at the exit of Bagnères-de-Luchon with 56km to go. He stayed away by himself on the ascents to the col de Peyresourde and Val Louron while the peloton was cruising around five minutes behind. The Belarus rider got reined in on the last kilometre of the second last climb, where Rodriguez outsprinted Majka. Romain Bardet (AG2R-La Mondiale) attacked from the yellow jersey group in the downhill.

Four riders started climbing to Pla d’Adet in the lead: Rolland, Roche, Moinard and Visconti. The Sicilian Visconti went solo with 9km to go and Majka came across to him 4.2km before the finishing line while Nibali accelerated and took Péraud with him.

Majka dropped Visconti with 2.5km to go and 21 years after Zenon Jaskula became the first Polish rider to win a stage of the Tour de France precisely at Saint-Lary, the Tinkoff-Saxo climber Majka doubled up after opening his record book on stage 14 at Risoul.

Earlier in difficulty, Alejandro Valverde saved his second place on GC by coming back to pass the Pinot group after trailing them for much of the climb. Nibali was a brilliant third but Péraud, the only rider able to accompany the yellow jersey, became the French favorite for the final podium in Paris.

REACTIONS

Rafal Majka: “At the team’s meeting, we’ve been instructed to have one rider in the front group at the very beginning of the stage for someone to be up there to help me. Nicolas Roche was the one. He did a lot of work for me. I’m really happy with how it went. Before the first KOM price, Bjarne [Riis] told me to not sprint at the top. He’s very intelligent. He said that the stage victory would give me the polka dot jersey, not the first KOM prize.

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“When I heard we had two minutes lead at the top of the second last climb, I’ve believed I could win the stage. I was feeling good. In the last climb, I only wanted to drop Purito. I’ve tried three times, then I followed one guy [Amaël Moinard] and I stay with, [Pierre] Rolland and Roche. I dropped Rolland and I came across to Visconti. I felt comfortable in the last five kilometers. A lot of climbs in a stage, it’s the best for me”.

“This is my first Tour de France and I already have two stage victories. I really like the Tour de France now. Maybe, it’s the best Grand Tour for me because the weather is good, unlike at the Giro. Our team had bad luck in stage 10 [with Contador crashing] but after that, Bjarne and Oleg [Tinkoff] said that we needed to fight for a stage victory. We didn’t win one but three stages, and now with the polka dot jersey, I feel good. But there’s still one hard stage to go, I will fight more because this jersey is really important for the team.”

Vincenzo Nibali: “I’ve got a nice lead on GC, but considering tomorrow’s stage to Hautacam and the time trial, as I was feeling good, I’ve preferred to go and gain a few more seconds and be even more serene, just in case something would happen. Giovanni Visconti was ahead. In the past few days, I’ve seen him pedaling better and better.”

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“After the bad accident he had in Australia [in January], it’s good for his morale. He might win something in the near future too. I don’t know exactly what’s happening in Sicily with regards to my performances at the Tour but I bet it makes everyone happy”.

“I know that more and more talented young riders are coming up and try to go and show their cycling skills in Tuscany and Lombardy. In Sicily there should be more sponsors to invest in cycling. Young riders deserve it as they’re inspired by champions like Visconti and I who are fighting for winning at the Tour de France.”

“Today I’ve tried to keep as many team-mates as possible with me until the last climb in case of attacks from far. Scarponi and Westra were there for me. Iglinskiy and Grivko worked hard in Peyresourde. Kangert was on my side in the final climb. Yesterday, you [the journalists] said that I had no team, today the team was there”.

“My condition is very good. I’ve looked at pushing on my pedals until the very end but also thinking of the day after. Had riders like Froome and Contador still been here racing, I might have been forced to push more and race in a more conservative way. When those riders attack, they are very explosive. I know them well and I have a great respect for them. I’ve raced more against Contador than Froome who has been around for three years only”.

“I’m not surprised to see French riders performing well. When I came to the Tour two years ago, Pinot won a stage and finished with us, Wiggins, Froome and me, at La Toussuire. There’s a generation of French riders who improve a lot, year after year”.

“It’s true that I received a text message from [Italian Prime Minister] Matteo Renzi who invited me to the Chigi Palace to celebrate my victory. I’ve replied that only after winning, if I do so, I’ll be able to say that I’ll be present. I was pleased by his message. It means he’s interested in sport. Many times the national team has been invited in Rome by the President after the success of Paolo Bettini at the world championship”.

“When I was a kid, I grew up watching cycling on TV, so it was the time of Marco Pantani. But my father also had a great passion for cycling. He had documentaries and he recorded races. That made Francesco Moser my idol, because of the innovation he brought into cycling, even though I was too young to have followed his career.”

Alejandro Valverde: Dropped by his rivals in the climb to Pla d’Adet, Alejandro Valverde was able to close the gap thanks to his Movistar team-mates and retain his second place ahead of Frenchmen Thibaut Pinot and Jean-Christophe Peraud. “I had a bad moment for sure”.

“But I always had my team-mates with me. I was able to recover my rhythm and to limit the damage with Nibali and Peraud. It’s true that I have close rivals in Pinot and Peraud but Peraud is the one I fear the most because he’s very good in time trials. I know Hautacam well. It’s going to be a very hard day, especially after the two days we just had”.

“We’re going to try and recuperate because tomorrow is another important day.”

Romain Bardet: “This is the kind of stage I like. I’ve tried something attacking downhill but it hasn’t worked out. I’ll keep trying to make the final top 5. At the end of the day, the legs do the talking. Péraud is the only rider able to follow Nibali uphill in this Tour. I’ve got no problem being behind him. We’re two riders from the same team targeting the final top 5 of the Tour de France and our cooperation is perfect.”

Thibaut Pinot: “I’ve got mixed feelings. I’m still third overall but I was feeling much less at ease than yesterday. I had to limit the damage. We’ve done that pretty well, with the help of Arnold Jeannesson. It was hard all day and the final climb was really tough. The podium remains a goal but I’ve lost time from Peraud who is a time trial specialist. He’s like me. He also has a bad day sometimes. To beat him, I’ll need to have better legs than today.”

STAGE RESULT
1 Majka Rafal Tinkoff-Saxo 03h 35′ 23″
2 Visconti Giovanni Movistar Team @ 00′ 29″
3 Nibali Vincenzo Astana Pro Team @ 00′ 46″
4 Péraud Jean-Christophe Ag2r La Mondiale @ 00′ 46″
5 De Marchi Alessandro Cannondale @ 00′ 49″
6 Rolland Pierre Team Europcar @ 00′ 52″
7 Schleck Frank Trek Factory Racing @ 01′ 12″
8 Mollema Bauke Belkin Pro Cycling @ 01′ 12″
9 Roche Nicolas Tinkoff-Saxo @ 01′ 25″
10 Valverde Belmonte Alejandro Movistar Team @ 01′ 35″
11 Pinot Thibaut Fdj.Fr @ 01′ 40″
12 Bardet Romain Ag2r La Mondiale @ 01′ 40″
13 Van Garderen Tejay Bmc Racing Team @ 01′ 40″
14 Ten Dam Laurens Belkin Pro Cycling @ 01′ 50″
15 Izaguirre Insausti Jon Movistar Team @ 01′ 50″
16 Nieve Iturralde Mikel Team Sky @ 02′ 01″
17 Durasek Kristijan Lampre – Merida @ 02′ 05″
18 Zubeldia Agirre Haimar Trek Factory Racing @ 02′ 34″
19 Van Den Broeck Jurgen Lotto-Belisol @ 02′ 52″
20 Moinard Amaël Bmc Racing Team @ 03′ 02″
21 Herrada Lopez Jesus Movistar Team @ 03′ 39″
22 Gadret John Movistar Team @ 03′ 54″
23 Konig Leopold Team Netapp-Endura @ 03′ 54″
24 Gastauer Ben Ag2r La Mondiale @ 03′ 54″
25 Wyss Marcel Iam Cycling @ 04′ 54″
26 Kangert Tanel Astana Pro Team @ 05′ 02″
27 Velits Peter Bmc Racing Team @ 05′ 25″
28 Kruijswijk Steven Belkin Pro Cycling @ 05′ 40″
29 Horner Christopher Lampre – Merida @ 05′ 40″
30 Trofimov Yury Team Katusha @ 05′ 40″
31 Rodriguez Joaquim Team Katusha @ 05′ 54″
32 Feillu Brice Bretagne – Seche Environnement @ 06′ 12″
33 Bakelants Jan Omega Pharma-Quick Step @ 06′ 36″
34 Chavanel Sylvain Iam Cycling @ 07′ 38″
35 Porte Richie Team Sky @ 07′ 38″
36 Jeannesson Arnold Fdj.Fr @ 08′ 06″
37 Gautier Cyril Team Europcar @ 09′ 27″
38 Voeckler Thomas Team Europcar @ 09′ 27″
39 Howes Alex Garmin – Sharp @ 14′ 07″
40 Van Summeren Johan Garmin – Sharp @ 14′ 17″
41 Schär Michael Bmc Racing Team @ 14′ 17″
42 Rogers Michael Tinkoff-Saxo @ 14′ 17″
43 Tankink Bram Belkin Pro Cycling @ 14′ 17″
44 Stetina Peter Bmc Racing Team @ 14′ 17″
45 Reichenbach Sébastien Iam Cycling @ 14′ 17″
46 Quemeneur Perrig Team Europcar @ 14′ 17″
47 King Benjamin Garmin – Sharp @ 14′ 17″
48 Barta Jan Team Netapp-Endura @ 14′ 17″
49 Mate Mardones Luis Angel Cofidis, Solutions Credits @ 14′ 17″
50 Edet Nicolas Cofidis, Solutions Credits @ 14′ 17″
51 Scarponi Michele Astana Pro Team @ 14′ 17″
52 Oliveira Nelson Lampre – Merida @ 14′ 17″
53 Voss Paul Team Netapp-Endura @ 14′ 17″
54 Machado Tiago Team Netapp-Endura @ 14′ 17″
55 Roy Jérémy Fdj.Fr @ 14′ 17″
56 Busche Matthew Trek Factory Racing @ 14′ 17″
57 Thomas Geraint Team Sky @ 14′ 17″
58 Taramäe Rein Cofidis, Solutions Credits @ 14′ 17″
59 Lopez Garcia David Team Sky @ 14′ 17″
60 Arashiro Yukiya Team Europcar @ 14′ 17″
61 Huzarski Bartosz Team Netapp-Endura @ 14′ 17″
62 Rojas Gil José Joaquin Movistar Team @ 16′ 08″
63 Molard Rudy Cofidis, Solutions Credits @ 16′ 49″
64 Pineau Cedric Fdj.Fr @ 16′ 49″
65 Paulinho Sergio Miguel Moreira Tinkoff-Saxo @ 16′ 49″
66 Ladagnous Matthieu Fdj.Fr @ 16′ 49″
67 Pichot Alexandre Team Europcar @ 16′ 49″
68 Delaplace Anthony Bretagne – Seche Environnement @ 16′ 49″
69 Irizar Arranburu Markel Trek Factory Racing @ 16′ 49″
70 Gallopin Tony Lotto-Belisol @ 16′ 49″
71 Guillou Florian Bretagne – Seche Environnement @ 16′ 49″
72 Intxausti Benat Movistar Team @ 16′ 49″
73 Dumoulin Tom Team Giant-Shimano @ 16′ 49″
74 Serpa José Lampre – Merida @ 16′ 49″
75 Iglinskiy Maxim Astana Pro Team @ 17′ 00″
76 Kiryienka Vasili Team Sky @ 17′ 06″
77 Montaguti Matteo Ag2r La Mondiale @ 19′ 37″
78 Gerard Arnaud Bretagne – Seche Environnement @ 19′ 37″
79 Meier Christian Orica Greenedge @ 19′ 37″
80 Kadri Blel Ag2r La Mondiale @ 19′ 37″
81 Van Avermaet Greg Bmc Racing Team @ 19′ 37″
82 Fuglsang Jakob Astana Pro Team @ 22′ 26″
83 Gruzdev Dmitriy Astana Pro Team @ 22′ 52″
84 Grivko Andriy Astana Pro Team @ 22′ 52″
85 Martin Tony Omega Pharma-Quick Step @ 23′ 32″
86 Voigt Jens Trek Factory Racing @ 23′ 32″
87 De Kort Koen Team Giant-Shimano @ 23′ 32″
88 Eisel Bernhard Team Sky @ 23′ 32″
89 Elmiger Martin Iam Cycling @ 23′ 32″
90 Keukeleire Jens Orica Greenedge @ 23′ 32″
91 Marcato Marco Cannondale @ 23′ 32″
92 Sabatini Fabio Cannondale @ 23′ 32″
93 Minard Sébastien Ag2r La Mondiale @ 23′ 32″
94 Vachon Florian Bretagne – Seche Environnement @ 23′ 32″
95 Rast Gregory Trek Factory Racing @ 23′ 32″
96 Boom Lars Belkin Pro Cycling @ 23′ 32″
97 Curvers Roy Team Giant-Shimano @ 23′ 32″
98 Bak Lars Lotto-Belisol @ 23′ 32″
99 Schillinger Andreas Team Netapp-Endura @ 23′ 32″
100 Albasini Michael Orica Greenedge @ 23′ 32″
101 Durbridge Luke Orica Greenedge @ 23′ 32″
102 Morkov Michael Tinkoff-Saxo @ 23′ 32″
103 Reza Kévin Team Europcar @ 23′ 32″
104 Wynants Maarten Belkin Pro Cycling @ 23′ 32″
105 Erviti Ollo Imanol Movistar Team @ 23′ 32″
106 Vanmarcke Sep Belkin Pro Cycling @ 23′ 32″
107 Tosatto Matteo Tinkoff-Saxo @ 23′ 32″
108 Clarke Simon Orica Greenedge @ 23′ 32″
109 Leezer Thomas Belkin Pro Cycling @ 23′ 32″
110 Pineau Jérôme Iam Cycling @ 23′ 32″
111 Bodnar Maciej Cannondale @ 23′ 32″
112 Degenkolb John Team Giant-Shimano @ 23′ 32″
113 Bennati Daniele Tinkoff-Saxo @ 23′ 40″
114 Oss Daniel Bmc Racing Team @ 23′ 40″
115 Sagan Peter Cannondale @ 23′ 42″
116 Marino Jean Marc Cannondale @ 23′ 52″
117 Gene Yohann Team Europcar @ 24′ 01″
118 Timmer Albert Team Giant-Shimano @ 24′ 14″
119 Coquard Bryan Team Europcar @ 24′ 14″
120 Roelandts Jurgen Lotto-Belisol @ 24′ 51″
121 Kluge Roger Iam Cycling @ 24′ 51″
122 Dempster Zakkari Team Netapp-Endura @ 24′ 51″
123 Vanotti Alessandro Astana Pro Team @ 25′ 33″
124 Plaza Molina Ruben Movistar Team @ 25′ 43″
125 Riblon Christophe Ag2r La Mondiale @ 25′ 43″
126 Golas Michal Omega Pharma-Quick Step @ 25′ 59″
127 Terpstra Niki Omega Pharma-Quick Step @ 25′ 59″
128 Kwiatkowski Michal Omega Pharma-Quick Step @ 25′ 59″
129 Pimenta Costa Mendes José Team Netapp-Endura @ 25′ 59″
130 Pate Danny Team Sky @ 25′ 59″
131 Koren Kristijan Cannondale @ 26′ 16″
132 Navardauskas Ramunas Garmin – Sharp @ 26′ 50″
133 Cimolai Davide Lampre – Merida @ 26′ 50″
134 Tuft Svein Orica Greenedge @ 27′ 46″
135 Greipel André Lotto-Belisol @ 27′ 46″
136 Slagter Tom Jelte Garmin – Sharp @ 27′ 46″
137 Delage Mickaël Fdj.Fr @ 27′ 46″
138 Hansen Adam Lotto-Belisol @ 27′ 46″
139 Fonseca Armindo Bretagne – Seche Environnement @ 27′ 46″
140 Viviani Elia Cannondale @ 27′ 46″
141 Jarrier Benoit Bretagne – Seche Environnement @ 27′ 46″
142 Haussler Heinrich Iam Cycling @ 27′ 46″
143 Westra Lieuwe Astana Pro Team @ 27′ 46″
144 Isaichev Vladimir Team Katusha @ 27′ 46″
145 Bauer Jack Garmin – Sharp @ 27′ 46″
146 Trentin Matteo Omega Pharma-Quick Step @ 27′ 46″
147 Petacchi Alessandro Omega Pharma-Quick Step @ 27′ 46″
148 Simon Julien Cofidis, Solutions Credits @ 27′ 46″
149 Bideau Jean-Marc Bretagne – Seche Environnement @ 27′ 46″
150 Demare Arnaud Fdj.Fr @ 27′ 46″
151 Smukulis Gatis Team Katusha @ 27′ 46″
152 Renshaw Mark Omega Pharma-Quick Step @ 27′ 46″
153 Langeveld Sebastian Garmin – Sharp @ 27′ 46″
154 Cherel Mikael Ag2r La Mondiale @ 27′ 46″
155 Kristoff Alexander Team Katusha @ 27′ 46″
156 Paolini Luca Team Katusha @ 27′ 46″
157 Bonnet William Fdj.Fr @ 27′ 46″
158 Feillu Romain Bretagne – Seche Environnement @ 27′ 46″
159 Ji Cheng Team Giant-Shimano @ 27′ 46″
160 Burghardt Marcus Bmc Racing Team @ 27′ 46″
161 Dumoulin Samuel Ag2r La Mondiale @ 27′ 54″
162 Sieberg Marcel Lotto-Belisol @ 27′ 56″
163 Lemoine Cyril Cofidis, Solutions Credits @ 27′ 56″
164 Petit Adrien Cofidis, Solutions Credits @ 27′ 56″
165 Veelers Tom Team Giant-Shimano @ 28′ 55″
166 Kittel Marcel Team Giant-Shimano @ 28′ 55″

Overall
1 Nibali Vincenzo Astana Pro Team 76h 41′ 28″
2 Valverde Belmonte Alejandro Movistar Team @ 05′ 26″
3 Pinot Thibaut Fdj.Fr @ 06′ 00″
4 Péraud Jean-Christophe Ag2r La Mondiale @ 06′ 08″
5 Bardet Romain Ag2r La Mondiale @ 07′ 34″
6 Van Garderen Tejay Bmc Racing Team @ 10′ 19″
7 Mollema Bauke Belkin Pro Cycling @ 11′ 59″
8 Ten Dam Laurens Belkin Pro Cycling @ 12′ 16″
9 Konig Leopold Team Netapp-Endura @ 12′ 40″
10 Rolland Pierre Team Europcar @ 13′ 15″
11 Zubeldia Agirre Haimar Trek Factory Racing @ 14′ 26″
12 Van Den Broeck Jurgen Lotto-Belisol @ 16′ 08″
13 Schleck Frank Trek Factory Racing @ 18′ 03″
14 Trofimov Yury Team Katusha @ 28′ 00″
15 Porte Richie Team Sky @ 31′ 00″
16 Kruijswijk Steven Belkin Pro Cycling @ 31′ 00″
17 Feillu Brice Bretagne – Seche Environnement @ 32′ 14″
18 Horner Christopher Lampre – Merida @ 34′ 48″
19 Nieve Iturralde Mikel Team Sky @ 36′ 09″
20 Kwiatkowski Michal Omega Pharma-Quick Step @ 36′ 41″
21 Gadret John Movistar Team @ 37′ 01″
22 Thomas Geraint Team Sky @ 37′ 25″
23 Kangert Tanel Astana Pro Team @ 47′ 04″
24 Gastauer Ben Ag2r La Mondiale @ 48′ 12″
25 Bakelants Jan Omega Pharma-Quick Step @ 49′ 54”

 

 

 

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