The Tour de France is an absolute summer classic. Join here at ProXCskiing.com to get Eurosport’s Roberto Vacchi’s comments before today’s Stage 17.

Tour de France stage 16 saw Hugo Houle (Israel – Premier Tech) winning the 178.5km race to Foix ahead of Valentin Madouas (Groupama – FDJ) and Michael Woods (Israel – Premier Tech). 

Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo – Visma) keeps the yellow jersey. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) is in second place overall, 2:22 behind the leader, and Geraint Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers) is in third place in the general classification, 2:43 behind.  

Today, Stage 17 starts at Saint-Gaudens, covers 129.7km, and finishes at Peyragudes. 

Stage 17 – Saint-Gaudens to Peyragudes 129.7km

“Three 1st category climbs and one of 2nd. Here it will go up again. Easy start, but barely halfway, the party starts. Forty kilometers of uphill on a stage of just under 130km. It starts with the Col d’Aspin, a classic among mountain passes on the Tour. It was one of the first climbs in the Tour de France when they first crossed the Pyrenees in 1910. This year the cyclists will ride up to this peak for the 72nd time in the history of the Tour de France. Up to Peyragudes, cyclists have passed many times, but twice as a mountain finish. 2012 when Alejandro Valverde won on a stage, the second with another finish was won by Romain Bardet with a tough final, just with first mountain prize in Peyresourde, down a few kilometers and then up to the finish. That time, Fabio Aru took the leader jersey from Froome, who then took it back again and won,” says Vacchi.

The broadcast starts on Eurosport at 13:25. Neutral starts at 13:15. Expected arrival at 16:50.

Tour de France – Stage 17 – Course Map

Tour de France – All Stages – Course Map