Image of the day: Stage 17

French national TT champion Sylvain Chavanel heads out of the start-house, but could only finish a disappointing 29th on another bad day for the French. Ag2r’s Jean-Christophe Peraud, the highest-placed French rider at the start of the day (ninth) crashed in the morning while doing a reconnaissance of the course, breaking his collarbone. He took the start, but crashed heavily again less than 2km from the finish – right in front of his wife – landing on his broken collarbone and immediately abandoning. Teammate Romain Bardet is now the highest-placed Frenchman, in 20th.

Image: Presse Sports/ASO

Image: Presse Sports/ASO

TdF stage 17: Froome dispatches Spanish Armada

Stage 17: Embrun to Chorges, 32km individual time trial

Under attack from the Spanish Armada and the weather, race leader Chris Froome didn’t flinch, he didn’t buckle, he rode a magnificent third split on his time trial steed to snatch victory away from Alberto Contador to record his third stage win and tighten his grip on the yellow jersey.
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