Tour de France 2021: Tadej Pogacar wins stage 17 to extend overall lead

Yellow jersey wearer Tadej Pogacar lies on the floor in exhaustion after winning stage 17 of the 2021 Tour de France — Tadej Pogacar has won five Tour stages but this was his first while wearing the yellow jersey

Defending champion Tadej Pogacar took a sublime victory atop the Col du Portet on stage 17 of the Tour de France to extend his lead in the yellow jersey.

The Slovenian, 22, kicked clear of Jonas Vingegaard and Richard Carapaz with 150 metres to go to win his fifth Tour stage overall and second of 2021.

UAE Team Emirates' Pogacar now leads Vingegaard by five mins 39 seconds, with Carapaz four seconds further back.

Rigoberto Uran slipped from second to fourth after cracking at 8km remaining.

Pogacar, who won the stage five time trial before taking the yellow jersey on stage eight, has four days left to defend it, though Sunday's final stage is a processional run to Paris where convention dictates the leader is not attacked.

"We were 50-50 - do we go for the win stage or just defend? - but in the end we tried and I am super-happy," he said.

More to follow.

Stage 17 result

Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates) 5hrs 03mins 31secs
Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Jumbo) +03secs
Richard Carapaz (Ecu/Ineos Grenadiers) +04secs
David Gaudu (Fra/Groupama-FDJ) +1min 19secs
Ben O'Connor (Aus/AG2R Citroen) +1min 26secs
Wilco Kelderman (Ned/Bora-Hansgrohe) +1min 40secs
Pello Bilbao (Spa/Bahrain-Victorious) +1min 44secs
Sergio Higuita (Col/EF Education Nippo) +1min 49secs
Rigoberto Uran (Col/EF Education Nippo) Same time
Pello Bilbao (Spa/Bahrain-Victorious)

General classification after stage 17

Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates) 71hours 26minutes 27seconds
Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Jumbo) +5mins 39secs
Richard Carapaz (Ecu/Ineos Grenadiers) +5mins 43secs
Rigoberto Uran (Col/EF Education Nippo) +7mins 17secs
Ben O'Connor (Aus/AG2R Citroen) +7mins 34secs
Wilco Kelderman (Ned/Bora-Hansgrohe) +8mins 06secs
Enric Mas (Spa/Movistar) +9mins 48secs
Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz/Astana) +10mins 04secs
Guillaume Martin (Fra/Cofidis) +11mins 51secs
Pello Bilbao (Spa/Bahrain-Victorious) +12mins 53secs

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42 comments

Comment posted by MrsW, today at 17:10
Pogačar deserved the win. But Carapaz made his move at least 500m too early, possibly 1km too early.
The most enthralling Tour that I can remember for many years, only one truly neutralised stage, every other stage has had tactical action from start to finish.
Comment posted by Scarletnoir, today at 17:07
Pogacar is just too strong for the others this year - and maybe for years to come. Justice was done when he out-kicked Carapaz, who just followed the wheels up the climb and did no work at the front For the same reason, I'm glad Vingegaard made second - he took a few turns, fair play.
Comment posted by Dartside, today at 17:07
Wonder if Radio 4 'Today' will mention cycling in their sports round up tomorrow. Heard everything but this morning.
Comment posted by indtram, today at 17:06
WOW ! what a last 2km....amazing fight for the Stage win. Vingegaard is the future of cycling along with the King Pogacar....just too good
Comment posted by David, today at 17:05
That is twice that Carapaz has refused to work and been humiliated.
Comment posted by Spartacus, today at 17:00
Carapaz playing the villain well - fair play to him for sticking at it - but I must admit I was glad to see Pogacar and especially Vingegaard get the better of him. A decent stage in an otherwise fairly predictable GC.
Comment posted by David McManus, today at 16:59
What a great stage, fantastic final 3 in the race to the finish
Comment posted by Six miles an hour, today at 16:58
Cav is in safely.
Comment posted by twistyballzz, today at 16:56
We’re just double checking this comment.
Comment posted by Chugsford, today at 16:56
Get him tested
Reply posted by billyb19, today at 16:58
billyb19 replied:
No need, he's far more intelligent than any soccer player..
Comment posted by Red Hare, today at 16:54
If there was any stage to do it, this one would have been a good one for Ineos to fire riders up the road and make it harder for Pogačar / UAE on the earlier climbs. But we just saw the same old mountain train.
Comment posted by Alex, today at 16:52
Anyone else miss Bradley Wiggins?
Reply posted by Ben, today at 16:55
Ben replied:
like a hole in the head
Comment posted by Richard, today at 16:52
If Pogacar keeps this up he could break all the records - the guy is only 22, amazing.
Reply posted by Leslie Thornton, today at 16:54
Leslie Thornton replied:
That's certainly one word for it....
Comment posted by Muddy, today at 16:51
loved that last few km!! The old fox trying to outwit the two young pups but not quite having the strength at the end.

They went up that last climb at 19.5kph, that's not much slower than I average on the flat!! They really are superhuman.
Comment posted by Mushroom, today at 16:49
Unfortunately this edition really is Bore de France. The most interesting part is KoM
Reply posted by Red Hare, today at 16:51
Red Hare replied:
At least some riders had a go this stage.
Comment posted by Red Hare, today at 16:48
Good stage. Proper racing, this, and extremely good poker faces from Pogačar and Vingegaard.
Comment posted by Simon, today at 16:48
Very impressive riding. I am impressed with this.
Comment posted by Graham McAulay, today at 16:48
Can't see anyone beating Pogacar now, can only see him extending his lead further, he really is a supreme cyclist.
Comment posted by OliverDMcCall, today at 16:48
We’re just double checking this comment.
Comment posted by provyd, today at 16:46
Did Cavendish make the cut-off?
Reply posted by Muddy, today at 16:49
Muddy replied:
he's not finished yet

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