Escape paradise with finish at Tour debutant in the Alps

In the third week, many riders are taking stock. Have I achieved my goals? Am I still in contention for classifications? Do I have something to prove? While on stage seventeen of the Tour de France, a maximum of sixteen riders will have secured a stage win, all others yearn for glory. Stage seventeen of the Tour is a day tailor-made for escapists, adventurers, and disappointed contenders in the standings. The riders set their course towards the Alps, where Tour debutant Superdévoluy awaits as the final climb.

The seventeenth stage starts in Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux. It's the fifth time that a Tour stage has departed from this town in Drôme, which has a misleading name. The second part of the name, 'Trois Châteaux', doesn't refer to three castles but rather to the name 'Tricastini', a Celtic tribe. This tribe inhabited the region until the fifth century. Their name was later Frenchified, which might deceive visitors expecting to find three castles.

The finish of this stage is a newcomer to the Tour. Superdévoluy, located in the Dévoluy Massif in the Alps, is a ski resort established in 1966. For a long time, it saw no professional riders until the Criterium du Dauphiné included it in the route in 2013. Since then, riders like Samuel Sánchez ('13) and Chris Froome ('16) have claimed victories here.

The seventeenth stage of the Tour features a very long approach, gradually ascending the riders by about 800 meters within the first 130 kilometers. They will pass through Gap, the starting point for the next day. However, on this Wednesday, it marks the beginning of the finale. After a brief descent, riders will face a three-part challenge, covering forty kilometers.

The Col Bayard (6.8 km at 7.3%) kicks off the trio. Here, some riders may try to shake things up and separate themselves from the pack. Next comes the Col du Noyer (7.5 km at 8.4%), the longest and steepest climb of the day. Only the strongest riders will survive this ascent, leading to the possibility of the Côte de Superdévoluy determining the outcome.

This challenging newcomer to the Tour sees riders tackling the final 3.8 kilometers at an average gradient of 5.9%. It's where the remaining climbers have the opportunity to shake off their last competition and clinch a stage victory in the Tour. However, one should not discount the contenders in the overall classification. Deep into the Tour de France, every top rider seizes the chance to advance towards the yellow jersey.

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17 Jul 2024	Tour de France - Stage 17
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