Soren Kragh Andersen (Sunweb) took his second stage win of the 2020 Tour de France with another sensational solo effort. This time he launched his attack from the breakaway with 15km to go and built an unbeatable lead as his breakmates hesitated. Luka Mezgec (Mitchelton-Scott) took the sprint for second ahead of Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo). There were no changes in the GC, nor in the jersey holders.
It’s not often you see two riders embracing as they go over the finish line together, but that was the victory salute of sorts from Richard Carapaz and Michal Kwiatkowski as the Polish rider took his first grand tour stage win ever. The GC battle was a bit scrappy-doo with guys putting in attacks, guys getting unceremoniously dropped off the back, but in the midst Primoz Roglic stayed supremely cool and in control and still in yellow tonight.
Stage 17 of the Tour de France brought with it the final mountain top finish of this year’s race, setting up a devilish finish for the general classification contenders to slug it out. With a breakaway out front and Bahrain McLaren suspiciously policing the peloton for much of the day, the race came to a sizzle on the ghastly Col de la Loze. Miguel Angel Lopez capitalised on the steep gradients – topping out at a terrifying 24 percent! – to catapult himself to his first Tour de France stage win, and third place overall. Behind, Primoz Roglic rolled across the line 15 seconds later to extend his lead (and perhaps end RogPog) over Tadej Pogacar, who ceded an additional 15 seconds.