Sports
10:05, 26-Jul-2018
Quintana wins Tour de France stage 17 as Thomas edges closer to victory
Updated
10:06, 29-Jul-2018
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Britain's Geraint Thomas moved a step closer to winning his maiden Tour de France after pushing Sky teammate Chris Froome down the standings on a 17th stage won by Colombia's Nairo Quintana on Wednesday.
Thomas held an overnight lead of 1min 39sec on compatriot Froome, but took it to 2:31 after the four-time champion crossed the finish 1:36 behind Quintana and nearly a minute off Thomas.
Ireland's Dan Martin (UAE) finished second at 28secs behind Quintana, with Thomas third at 47 and Slovenian Primoz Roglic (Lotto-Jumbo) in fourth at 52.
Froome's failure to stay with Thomas in the final few kilometers of the 16 km climb to the finish of the Col du Portet amid a series of attacks by rivals means the Kenyan-born Briton is in danger of finishing off the podium.
Geraint Thomas of Great Britain and Team Sky Yellow Leader Jersey, Christopher Froome of Great Britain and Team Sky were cycling during the 105th Tour de France 2018, Stage 17. /VCG Photo
Geraint Thomas of Great Britain and Team Sky Yellow Leader Jersey, Christopher Froome of Great Britain and Team Sky were cycling during the 105th Tour de France 2018, Stage 17. /VCG Photo
Dutch rival Tom Dumoulin, the 2017 Giro d'Italia champion, finished behind Thomas but well ahead of Froome to move up to second place.
Roglic, meanwhile, moved up to fourth overall just 16secs behind Froome.
Welshman Thomas will start Thursday's 18th stage, a mainly flat 171 km ride from Trie-sur-Blaise to Pau with a 1:59 lead on Sunweb team leader Dumoulin, with Froome in third.
"It was just about defending that lead," said Thomas. "But it's the Tour de France, so anything can happen."
Froome appeared to abdicate his crown when he tipped his hat to Thomas at the finish.
"Geraint deserves to be in the yellow jersey, he's earned it," said Froome.
Friday's stage is the final day in the mountains, but has a downhill finish in Laruns, meaning any advantage rivals may manage to snatch from Thomas on the ascent could, theoretically, be annulled by Sky on the descent.
Quintana said: "I'm happy for the win. It was a day for the pure climbers.
"It's also great for the morale of the team. It's been frustrating, and sad because things didn't work out the way we'd hoped.
"But we have to keep on fighting."
Source(s): AFP