Barguil wins on Izoard as Froome maintains control

0
Warren Barguil

Chris Froome (Team Sky) survived the last big test on this year’s Tour de France as he protected his advantage on a thrilling climb of Col d’Izoard won by Warren Barguil (Team Sunweb).

While Barguil broke clear up the road for a famous victory to confirm the polka dot jersey, back down the road Froome neutralized the attacks of main rivals Romain Bardet and Rigoberto Uran to keep control of the race with three stages left.

Froome, who began the final big day of climbing in the Alps with a 27-second lead over Bardet and Rigoberto Uran, was pressurized on the unrelenting slopes as Bardet’s AG2R La Mondiale team tried to loosen his grip.

But Froome crossed the line just behind Bardet, who he now leads by 23 seconds, with a Uran – now 29 seconds behind – also in close support, and now only an extraordinary meltdown or a crash seem likely to stop the Briton taking a fourth Tour title.

Barguil sealed the polka dot climber’s jersey with a brilliant ride up the iconic Izoard climb, which was staging a summit finish for the first time in Tour history. Darwin Atapuma was second.

Friday’s stage is a relatively straightforward 222-km ride south toward the coast before Saturday’s time trial in Marseille, where Froome is likely to extend his lead over his rivals for the yellow jersey .


Tour de France 2017 – stage 18 results (Briancon – Izoard):

1Warren Barguil (Team Sunweb)

4:40:33

2Darwin Atapuma (UAE Team Emirates)

+20”

3Romain Bardet (AG2R)

,,

4Chris Froome (Team Sky)

,,

5Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale-Drapac)

+22”

6Mikel Landa (Team Sky)

+32”

7Louis Meintjes (UAE Team Emirates)

+37”

8Daniel Martin (Quick-Step Floors)

+39”

9Simon Yates (Orica-Scott)

+59”

10Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo)

+01’09”

11Nairo Quintana (Movistar)

+01’18”

12Carlos Betancur (Movistar)

+01’22”

13Fabio Aru (Astana)

,,

14Tony Gallopin (Lotto Soudal)

+01’37”

15Brice Feillu (Fortuneo-Oscaro)

+01’54”

16Mikel Nieve (Team Sky)

+02’15”

17Alexey Lutsenko (Astana)

+02’54”

18Andrew Talansky (Cannondale-Drapac)

+03’01”

19Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo)

,,

20Serge Pauwels (Dimension Data)

+03’04”

 

General classification after stage 18:

1Chris Froome (Team Sky)

78:08:19

2Romain Bardet (AG2R)

+23”

3Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale-Drapac)

+29”

4Mikel Landa (Team Sky)

+01’36”

5Fabio Aru (Astana)

+01’55”

6Daniel Martin (Quick-Step Floors)

+02’56”

7Simon Yates (Orica-Scott)

+04’46”

8Louis Meintjes (UAE Team Emirates)

+06’52”

9Warren Barguil (Team Sunweb)

+08’22”

10Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo)

+08’34”

11Damiano Caruso (BMC)

+13’41”

12Nairo Quintana (Movistar)

+13’52”

13Mikel Nieve (Team Sky)

+23’11”

14Alexis Vuillermoz (AG2R)

+23’33”

15Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-hansgrohe)

+31’01”

16Brice Feillu (Fortuneo-Oscaro)

+35’06”

17Carlos Betancur (Movistar)

+36’25”

18Serge Pauwels (Dimension Data)

+37’31”

19Tiesj Benoot (Lotto Soudal)

+40’49”

20Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo)

+47’03”

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here