2019 Tour de France: Stage 17 Results

Matteo Trentin won Stage 17 of the 2019 Tour de France after a late attack on an original breakaway of 33 riders that led the race by as much as 15 minutes. Kasper Asgreen and Greg Van Avermaet completed the podium.

Julian Alaphilippe and the rest of the GC contenders crossed the line together 20’21” in arrears, with no change to the overall leaderboard.

Stage 17 of the 2019 Tour de France rolled out under overcast skies that offered little relief to another day of high temperatures.

Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe started the race in the yellow jersey for the 12th day. He has 1’35’’ lead over defending champion Geraint Thomas and 1’47’’ over Steven Kruijswijk. His compatriot Thibaut Pinot was fourth at 1’50’’.

No change in the other jerseys as well. Peter Sagan has been wearing the green jersey of the sprint leader since Stage 2, Tim Wellens is in the polka dot jersey for the fourteenth consecutive day and Egan Bernal continues to wear the white jersey of Best Young Rider.

Movistar leads the teams classification with an advantage of 30’45’’ over Trek-Segafredo.

Race leader Alaphilippe told reporters: “The heat caught us yesterday but since I’m still in yellow, I enjoy the moment as much as I can. Today I’ll remain focused. Being in the yellow jersey just a few days before Paris is a situation I never imagined. But I’m more thinking that we’re getting closer to the hardest stages. You won’t make me tell what I don’t want to say. I’ve never been in such a state of mind. Whatever the result is at the end, I’ll fight more than I ever did so far.”

Thibaut Pinot also spoke to French TV before the start. “It’s a transition stage for attackers. There’ll be a big battle for the breakaway. As for myself, I’ll try to keep a maximum of energy for the three coming days in the mountains. Since last year, I did some sauna sessions to get used to the heat. It worked pretty well last year before La Vuelta. I feel great now, physically and mentally. I have no reason for not being mentally strong. I’ll give my best until Saturday.”

As the race rolled out Thomas De Gendt attacked right from the start. Rather than going out alone, the Belgian was soon joined by 33 others just five minutes down the road.

Daniel Oss and Lukas Pöstlberger (Bora-Hansgrohe), Kasper Asgreen (Deceuninck-Quick Step), Alexis Gougeard (Ag2r La Mondiale), Dylan Teuns (Bahrain-Merida), Nelson Oliveira (Movistar), Omar Fraile, Magnus Cort and Gorka Izagirre (Astana), Simon Clarke and Tom Scully (EF Education First), Chris Juul-Jensen and Matteo Trentin (Mitchelton-Scott), Greg van Avermaet and Michael Schär (CCC), Sven Erik Bystrom, Rui Costa, Sergio Henao and Vegard Stake Laengen (UAE Team Emirates), Bauke Mollema, Thomas Skujins and Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo), Nicolas Roche (Sunweb), Natnael Berhane, Jesús Herrada, Anthony Pérez and Pierre-Luc Périchon (Cofidis), Thomas De Gendt and Jens Keukeleire (Lotto-Soudal), Nils Politt (Katusha-Alpecin), Xandro Meurisse and Andrea Pasqualon (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Edvald Boasson Hagen and Ben King (Dimension Data) were all in the break and opened a 45 second lead in just 18km.

The break lost Magnus Cort to a flat tire, making the group 33.

Total Direct Energie was leading the chase in the peloton but the gap was up to 1’50” by km 35. The leaders were setting a strong pace, covering 51.7km in the first hour of racing.

Total Direct Energie moved off the front of the peloton, leaving Deceuninck-Quick Step to take over the front.

While it briefly looked like the gap had stabilized at 8’30”, but it kept growing, hitting 13’10” with 70km remaining. The leaders hit a spot of rain that briefly cooled things off but didn’t really slow them down.

As the leaders got within 40km of the finish, the attacks began. Bauke Mollema tried to break the group, then Nils Politt sped up in a downhill, followed by Jens Keukeleire. The gap continued to balloon, exceeding 15 minutes with 32km to go.

With 30km to go Oss, Asgreen, Gougeard, Izagirre, Scully, Trentin, Van Avermaet, Laengen, Skujins, Périchon and King went clear. They led the rest of the break by just 15 seconds initially.

With 17km to go Gougeard has been dropped and the group of 10 had expanded their lead to 41” over the chase group and 17’27” to the peloton.

Laengen, Périchon, Scully and King were dropped with 15km to go. Before the ascent to col de la Sentinelle, Trentin went clear. Périchon was going solo behind the European champion.

4km before the top of the climb, Trentin was 20” ahead of Périchon and 25” ahead of the other breakaway riders including Van Avermaet.

Kasper Asgreen attacked from the Van Avermaet group, but Trentin still held a lead of 30” over Asgreen with 5km to go. The Van Avermaet group was at 45”.

Trentin raced on for the stage win in Gap, with Asgreen and Van Avermaet rolling in for second and third.

2019 Tour de France Stage 17 Brief Results:

1. Matteo Trentin (Mitchelton – Scott) at 4h21’36”
2. Kasper Asgreen (Deceuninck – Quick Step) at 37”
3. Greg Van Avermaet (CCC Team) at 41”
4. Bauke Mollema (Trek Segafredo) s.t.
5. Dylan Teuns (Bahrain Merida) s.t.
6. Gorka Izaguirre (Astana) s.t.
7. Daniel Oss (Bora Hansgrohe) at 44″
8. Pierre Perichon (Cofidis) at 50″
9. Toms Skujins (Trek Segafredo) s.t.
10. Jesus Herrada (Cofidis) at 55″

General Classification After Stage 17:

1. Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck – Quick Step) at 61h00’22”
2. Geraint Thomas (Team INEOS) at 1’35”
3. Steven Kruijswijk (Team Jumbo-Visma) at 1’47”
4. Thibaut Pinot (Groupama – FDJ) at 1’50”
5. Egan Bernal (Team INEOS) at 2’02”