Jasper Philipsen from Belgium secured the victory for stage 17 of the Tour de France, marking a notable achievement in what has been a tumultuous race so far.
The UCI has defended its recent practice of conducting late-night drug tests in response to criticism, emphasizing that such measures are implemented only under exceptional circumstances.
With four stages left in the Tour, Tadej Pogačar holds a significant advantage as the competition heads into the mountainous terrain of the Alps.
Philipsen’s triumph came as a result of a strong team effort, with defending champion Tadej Pogačar successfully maintaining his overall lead throughout the race.
Mathieu van der Poel played a crucial role in leading his Alpecin-Premier Tech teammate Philipsen to this stage win, effectively managing the race’s tempo and counteracting attacks in the closing kilometers.
Philipsen crossed the finish line just ahead of Mauro Schmid and Olav Kooij, expressing a “roller-coaster of emotions” after experiencing a challenging Tour thus far.
“I trained exceptionally well and felt in peak condition, but the initial stages were quite disappointing for me. I struggled to find my rhythm and the performance I was aiming for,” Philipsen remarked, extending gratitude to his team members. “I felt frustrated and disappointed in my own performance, but this victory is a tribute to the belief my team has in me.”
Pogačar, aiming for his third consecutive Tour title and fifth overall, continues to lead by over four and a half minutes against Remco Evenepoel, who has won the previous two stages.
However, it wasn’t a good day for Pogačar’s teammate Adam Yates from UAE Emirates XRG, who faced difficulties throughout the race and barely managed to finish within the time limit, appearing visibly exhausted.
The Tour will conclude in Paris on Sunday.
The day’s route, a flat 174.7 kilometers from Chambery to Voiron, was the last stage conducive to sprinters before the race transitions to the Alps. This stage saw numerous attempts at breakaways as riders sought to position themselves advantageously.
Van der Poel was among the front-runners after the Côte de Saint-Jean d’Arvey, the last major climb, before Yates faced his challenges in the peloton.
Mads Pedersen initiated the next attack on the leaders with 65 kilometers to go, adding energy to the group as he joined them.
As more sprinters broke away, the group eventually grew to 30 riders, with Pedersen, Ben Healy, Michal Kwiatkowski, Felix Engelhardt, Ed Planckaert, and Jasper Stuyven breaking away 57 kilometers from the finish.
Stuyven launched a solo attack 26 kilometers from the finish, leaving his former companions to either pursue him or wait for the main pack. Ultimately, he was caught with less than 4 kilometers remaining, paving the way for Van der Poel to assist Philipsen in securing the win.
This victory propelled Philipsen closer to Pedersen in the competition for the green jersey, awarded to the top point scorer. Currently, Pedersen of Lidl-Trek leads with 452 points, followed closely by Philipsen at 445. Eritrean cyclist Biniam Girmay follows with 361 points.
In light of recent backlash regarding unannounced anti-doping tests, the UCI addressed concerns after both Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard were subjected to tests early on Sunday morning by the International Testing Agency based in Switzerland. Vingegaard later crashed during that stage and had to withdraw from the race.
The UCI acknowledged that nighttime testing “can disrupt riders’ rest and recovery,” affirming that it remains an exceptional practice. “While fully aware of the burden such measures impose on athletes, the UCI reiterates that these controls are essential in the ongoing fight against doping,” the organization stated in its announcement.
