Quintana takes stage 17 as Thomas extends Tour de France lead

CTT

Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) moved a step closer to winning his maiden Tour de France after pushing Sky teammate Chris Froome down the standings on a 17th stage won by Nairo Quintana (Movistar).

Thomas held an overnight lead of 1min 39sec on compatriot Froome, but took it to 2:31 after the four-time champion crossed the finish 1:36 behind Quintana and nearly a minute off Thomas.

Daniel Martin (UAE Team Emirates) finished second at 28secs behind Quintana, with Thomas third at 47 and Primoz Roglic (LottoNL-Jumbo) in fourth at 52.

Froome’s failure to stay with Thomas in the final few kilometres of the 16 km climb to the finish of the Col du Portet amid a series of attacks by rivals means the Briton is in danger of finishing off the podium.

Tom Dumoulin finished behind Thomas but well ahead of Froome to move up to second place. Roglic, meanwhile, moved up to fourth overall just 16secs behind Froome.

Thomas will start Thursday’s 18th stage, a 171 km ride from Trie-sur-Blaise to Pau with a 1:59 lead on Dumoulin, with Froome in third.

“It was just about defending that lead,” said Thomas. “But it’s the Tour de France, so anything can happen.”

Froome appeared to abdicate his crown when he tipped his hat to Thomas at the finish.

“Geraint deserves to be in the yellow jersey, he’s earned it,” said Froome.

Quintana said: “I’m happy for the win. It was a day for the pure climbers. It’s also great for the morale of the team. It’s been frustrating, and sad because things didn’t work out the way we’d hoped. But we have to keep on fighting.”

Tour de France 2018 – stage 17 results (Bagnères-de-Luchon – Saint-Lary-Soulan):

1	Nairo Quintana (Movistar)	2:21:27
2	Daniel Martin (UAE Team Emirates)	+28”
3	Geraint Thomas (Team Sky)	+47”
4	Primoz Roglic (LottoNL-Jumbo)	+52”
5	Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb)	,,
6	Steven Kruijswijk (LottoNL-Jumbo)	+01’05”
7	Egan Bernal (Team Sky)	+01’33”
8	Chris Froome (Team Sky)	+01’35”
9	Mikel Landa (Movistar)	,,
10	Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha-Alpecin)	+02’01”
11	Rafal Majka (Bora-hansgrohe)	+02’20”
12	Alejandro Valverde (Movistar)	+02’32”
13	Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale)	+02’35”
14	David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ)	+03’23”
15	Jakob Fuglsang (Astana)	+04’00”
16	Warren Barguil (Fortuneo-Samsic)	+04’15”
17	Bob Jungels (Quick-Step Floors)	+05’10”
18	Jesper Hansen (Astana)	,,
19	Wout Poels (Team Sky)	+05’12”
20	Tanel Kangert (Astana)	+05’38”

General classification after stage 17:

1	Geraint Thomas (Team Sky)	70:34:11
2	Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb)	+01’59”
3	Chris Froome (Team Sky)	+02’31”
4	Primoz Roglic (LottoNL-Jumbo)	+02’47”
5	Nairo Quintana (Movistar)	+03’30”
6	Steven Kruijswijk (LottoNL-Jumbo)	+04’19”
7	Mikel Landa (Movistar)	+04’34”
8	Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale)	+05’13”
9	Daniel Martin (UAE Team Emirates)	+06’33”
10	Jakob Fuglsang (Astana)	+09’31”
11	Alejandro Valverde (Movistar)	+11’25”
12	Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha-Alpecin)	+11’31”
13	Bob Jungels (Quick-Step Floors)	+14’20”
14	Pierre Latour (AG2R La Mondiale)	+16’03”
15	Guillaume Martin (Wanty – Groupe Gobert)	+22’30”
16	Egan Bernal (Team Sky)	+24’34”
17	Warren Barguil (Fortuneo-Samsic)	+26’54”
18	Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo)	+27’22”
19	Tanel Kangert (Astana)	+27’35”
20	Damiano Caruso (BMC)	+32’56”