[mp417]

Many updates are pending as I was travelling last few days. However I was able to catch all the action of stage 18, 19 and 20. Will share all the updates over next few posts.


Some snaps from Stage 17






























































to be continued.

[mp417]

Stage 17 snaps continued.













Paweł Poljański posted an extreme looking image of his legs after a Tour de France stage


Following Tuesday’s stage 16, Bora–Hansgrohe rider Paweł Poljański left jaws dropping across social media when he posted a photo of his gruesomely veiny legs.

Like protuberant tree roots surging up against the skin, criss-crossing his quads and calves, it was certainly an arresting image.

[mp417]

Stage 18 : 20-July-2017

Stage Map



Stage Profile



Start City/Location: Briancon, France

End City/Location: Izoard, France

Local start time: NA

Total Distance: 179.5 kms

Type of stage: Mountain

Mountain passes

• At Km 60.0 - Côte des Demoiselles Coiffées3.9 kilometre-long climb at 5.2% - category 3
• At Km 129.5 - Col de Vars (2 109 m)9.3 kilometre-long climb at 7.5% - category 1
• At Km 179.5 - Col d'Izoard (2 360 m)14.1 kilometre-long climb at 7.3% - category H

TV Schedule for India: Not available

Live streaming (free): http://tiz-cycling.racing/stream/

Stage Result

The mountain top finish did not disappoint and lived upto the expectations.
Warren Barguil takes his second stage victory in the 2017 Tour de France as Chris Froome fends off rivals to keep overall race lead.
Chris Froome (Team Sky) fended off several late attacks during the 2017 Tour de France‘s last mountain stage on Thursday to retain his overall race lead.

As they had done on previous stages, Ag2r had attempted to apply more pressure on Froome and Sky for their GC hope, Romain Bardet. But Sky once again proved to be the stronger team, safely delivering Froome to the line with no significant time lost to Bardet, or any of his other rivals.

The stage honours atop the Col d’Izoard went to Warren Barguil (Team Sunweb), who took his second stage victory of the 2017 race and secured his position in the polka-dot jersey of King of the Mountains. Darwin Atapuma (UAE) survived from the day’s large escape group to claim second, with Bardet in third and Froome fourth.

[unk9ja]

Originally Posted by mp417

Stage 18 : 20-July-2017

Could you please conclude this thread. You left us halfway through the tour. The heartburn just doubled. I could not follow this years tour on the tele and now this incomplete thread.

[mp417]

Originally Posted by unk9ja

Could you please conclude this thread. You left us halfway through the tour. The heartburn just doubled. I could not follow this years tour on the tele and now this incomplete thread.

Apologies for the same.
Will complete the remaining updates within next couple of days

[mp417]

All, Apologies for leaving the thread midway. Was unable to get time to complete this.

Mods: Kindly allow multiple posts as I would be adding Stage 19, 20 and 21 reports back to back.

Stage 19 : 21-July-2017

Stage Map



Stage Profile



Start City/Location: Embrun, France

End City/Location: Salon De Provence, France

Local start time: NA

Total Distance: 222.5 kms

Type of stage: Mostly Flat

Mountain passes

• At Km 26.0 - Col Lebraut 4.7 kilometre-long climb at 6% - category 3
• At Km 43.0 - Côte de Bréziers 2.3 kilometre-long climb at 5.8% - category 3
• At Km 177.5 - Col du Pointu 5.8 kilometre-long climb at 4.1% - category 3

TV Schedule for India: Not available

Live streaming (free): http://tiz-cycling.racing/stream/

Stage Result

Edvald Boasson Hagen snatches Tour de France breakaway win; Froome enjoys easy day before crucial time trial

Besides French riders, Belgians outnumbered their rivals in the 20-man breakaway group on their national day but Norway's Edvald Boasson Hagen spoiled their party as he smartly rode to victory on the right side of a roundabout with 2.8km to go. He reached Salon-de-Provence by himself after coming second or third on two occasions previously in the 104th Tour de France. Chris Froome retained the yellow jersey as he finished in the bunch more than ten minutes behind the stage winner.

[mp417]

Stage 20 : 22-July-2017

Stage Map



Stage Profile



Start City/Location: Marseille (Orange Velodrome), France

End City/Location: Marseille (Orange Velodrome), France

Local start time: NA

Total Distance: 22.5 kms

Type of stage: Individual Time Trial

Mountain passes: None

TV Schedule for India: Not available

Live streaming (free): http://tiz-cycling.racing/stream/

Stage Result

Chris Froome set for historic fourth yellow jersey after dominant time trial. Bardet hangs onto podium by just 1 second to Landa

The Brit came into the stage with a 23-second lead over Romain Bardet (Ag2r La Mondiale) and a 29-second lead over Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale-Drapac), but will win the Tour by almost a minute as he came third on the penultimate stage won by Maciej Bodnar (Bora-Hansgrohe).

On paper the best time triallist of the three Tour de France GC contenders, Froome showed why he was the favourite with a fast start to his final test, setting the second best time at the first time check, just two seconds behind team-mate Michal Kwiatkowski who would eventually as runner-up on the stage.

Uran and Bardet both lost time on the flat first half of the course, but while the Colombian held his shape for the rest of the stage to finish seventh on the day, Bardet fell to pieces.

By the second time check at the top of the only hill on the course, Bardet had lost 1-17 to the leaders, fighting with his bike on the steep gradients while Froome looked as smooth as ever, pedalling with a high cadence in his aero bars.

The Team Sky rider had set off two minutes behind Bardet, but by the final kilometre he had the Frenchman in his sights, giving him something to chase as Bardet fought to hold on to his podium spot.

Bardet fought all the way to the line, only managing to hold onto third place overall by one second from Mikel Landa.

Just a few seconds later and it was the turn of the yellow jersey to cross the line. Froome, fighting to the very end, putting in a time that wasn’t good enough to win the stage, but was more than enough to secure his fourth Tour de France victory with only Sunday’s procession around Paris to come.


See how Froome came so close to add to Bardet's misery. It was unfortunate to see French fans booing Froome when he entered the Velodrome.

https://youtu.be/SWO5LMkPess

How they finished stage 20

1. Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe, in 28-15
2. Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky, at 1 sec
3. Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky, at 6 secs
4. Tony Martin (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin, at 14 secs
5. Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-Scott, at 20 secs
6. Alberto Contador (Esp) Trek-Segafredo, at 21 secs
7. Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Sunweb, at 28 secs
8. Rigoberto Uran (Col) Cannondale-Drapac, at 31 secs
9. Stefan Küng (Sui) BMC Racing, at 34 secs
10. Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Direct Energie, at 37 secs


Maciej Bodnar won stage 20 of the Tour de Frnace by just one second from Michal Kwiatkowski

[mp417]

Some moments from Stage 20

[mp417]

[mp417]

Stage 21 : 23-July-2017 - The Finale

Stage Map



Stage Profile



Start City/Location: Montgeron, France

End City/Location: Paris Champs-Elysees, France

Local start time: NA

Total Distance: 103 kms

Type of stage: Flat

Mountain passes: None

• At Km 26.0 - Col Lebraut 4.7 kilometre-long climb at 6% - category 3
• At Km 43.0 - Côte de Bréziers 2.3 kilometre-long climb at 5.8% - category 3
• At Km 177.5 - Col du Pointu 5.8 kilometre-long climb at 4.1% - category 3

TV Schedule for India: Not available

Live streaming (free): http://tiz-cycling.racing/stream/

Stage Result

Chris Froome seals historic fourth Tour de France title as Dylan Groenewegen wins final stage

Chris Froome (Team Sky) sealed an historic fourth Tour de France victory on Sunday after safely crossing the final finish line on the Champs-Élysées in Paris as Dylan Groenewegen (LottoNL-Jumbo) won stage 21 in a sprint finish.
Froome becomes the only rider in the Tour’s history to hold four titles, and leaves him one away from equalling the record of five held jointly by Eddy Merckx, Jaques Anquetil, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain.
The GC race was wrapped up on Saturday after the Marseille time trial, with 32-year-old Froome able to celebrate with his team-mates and the rest of the peloton en route to Paris in the early part of the 103km course from Montgeron on Sunday.

The racing got going in traditional fashion when the peloton rolled on to the Champs-Élysées for the first time with around 58km to go.
With no Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step) there to try and add to his five stage wins at this Tour, it was the last chance for those sprinters who hadn’t taken a victory to salvage something before the race draws to its close.
Dmitri Gruzdev tried an attack with around 6km to go but was quickly brought back, with Zdenek Stybar (Quick-Step) the next to try his luck, but was caught with 2.5km to go on the Place de la Concorde.
But it was then all lined up for the sprinters as they passed through towards the final straight of the Champs-Élysées, with Katusha working hard on the front for Alexander Kristoff. But it was LottoNL-Jumbo who had their sprinter Groenewegen dropped off first at the front of the bunch on the final straight, and it looked like he may have gone too early as he launched his sprint. Behind Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) and Kristoff were first to react to the Dutchman’s move, but didn’t seem to have the legs to stay with him. André Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) looked like he had the pace to beat Groenewegen, but ran out of road, and the 24-year-old was able to hold on to claim his first Tour de France victory.

Chris Froome rolled in safely behind among his team-mates, with no dropping back to pose for photos across the line this year considering the small gap to Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale-Drapac) in second on GC.











General Classification and Yellow Jersey Ranking


Sprinter's Green Jersey - With so many big names missing. It was an easy ride for Mathews


King of Mountains Polka Dots Jersey Ranking - Barguil was the clear winner


Young Rider's White Jersey Ranking


Team Ranking

[mp417]

Some moments from the Finale

[mp417]

[unk9ja]

Thanks mp417 for taking us through the tour. It was as always brilliant read. And with great clicks to add to the writing. Keep this coming on for the tours to come.

[amitoj]

No 2018 Tour De France thread? Was looking forward to your insights.