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2025-07-23T12:44:48.717Z
120km to go

2025-07-23T12:43:09.262Z

Soudal-QuickStep are riding for European champion Tim Merlier today. He’s already won two stages of this year’s race, and will be eyeing a third in Valence against Milan.

VALENCE, FRANCE - JULY 23: (L-R) Tim Merlier of Belgium and Pascal Eenkhoorn of Netherlands and Team Soudal Quick-Step compete during the 112th Tour de France 2025, Stage 17 a 160.4km stage from Bollene to Valence / #UCIWT / on July 23, 2025 in Valence, France. (Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2025-07-23T12:37:56.170Z

While a more traditional sprint stage of the Tour plays out, make sure to get stuck into some reading on debutant Luke Plapp:

Luke Plapp plans assault on Rwanda World Championships time trial after debut Tour de France

2025-07-23T12:30:28.202Z
130km to go

2025-07-23T12:26:41.548Z

Lidl-Trek are leading the peloton through Thibau Nys and US national champion Quinn Simmons. First objective for them will be the intermediate sprint in Roche-Saint-Secret-Béconne.

The pack of riders (peloton) cycles past the Chateau de Suze-la-Rousse during the 17th stage of the 112th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 160.4 km between Bollene and Valence, southern France, on July 23, 2025. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP) (Photo by ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2025-07-23T12:20:21.024Z

Laurance has now given up his effort, leaving four in front and a 2:47 deficit for the peloton to control.

2025-07-23T12:18:23.301Z

A look at the formation of the day’s breakaway on stage 17, led by Albanese.

VALENCE, FRANCE - JULY 23: Vincenzo Albanese of Italy and Team EF Education - EasyPost competes in the breakaway during the 112th Tour de France 2025, Stage 17 a 160.4km stage from Bollene to Valence / #UCIWT / on July 23, 2025 in Valence, France. (Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2025-07-23T12:16:33.445Z
140km to go

2025-07-23T12:12:38.509Z

After some bickering, Lidl-Trek and Soudal-QuickStep have settled into their controlling pattern on the front of the peloton. 30km until the intermediate sprint.

2025-07-23T12:12:06.395Z

Another day, another breakaway for Jonas Abrahamsen. The stage 11 winner is at it again on stage 17 and in the front group of attackers.

BOLLENE, FRANCE - JULY 23: Jonas Abrahamsen of Norway and Team Uno-X Mobility prior to the 112th Tour de France 2025, Stage 17 a 160.4km stage from Bollene to Valence / #UCIWT / on July 23, 2025 in Bollene, France. (Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2025-07-23T12:06:56.177Z

Lidl-Trek and Soudal-QuickStep have slowed things down massively after limiting the break to just five riders – the four in front and Laurance. The bunch is 2:33 down, with Laurance sat on his own in the gap, still a minute down.

2025-07-23T12:02:59.741Z
150km to go

2025-07-23T11:59:04.492Z

A late attempt from Axel Laurance (Ineos Grenadiers) ended the calm behind, prompting Kasper Asgreen (EF Education-EasyPost) and others to try and similarly bridge. The sprint teams have responded.

2025-07-23T11:58:08.974Z

It’s Vincenzo Albanese (EF Education-EasyPost), Quentin Pacher (Groupama-FDJ), Mathieu Burgaudeau (TotalEnergies) and Abrahamsen who have got up the road. They have a minute lead on the chasing peloton already.

2025-07-23T11:57:03.463Z

A strong group of four have got up the road, but narrow roads out of the start have helped Lidl-Trek and Soudal-QuickStep to stem the flow of attacks from launching.

2025-07-23T11:54:30.722Z

Groupama-FDJ, Uno-X Mobility and EF Education-EasyPost are among the teams most interested in breaking away as it stands. The sprint teams are trying their best to control things.

2025-07-23T11:53:47.689Z

Good vibes at the start for Pogačar and yesterday’s stage runner-up Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost).

BOLLENE, FRANCE - JULY 23: (L-R) Ben Healy of Ireland and Team EF Education - EasyPost most combative rider prize winner and Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE Team Emirates - XRG - Yellow leader jersey prior to the 112th Tour de France 2025, Stage 17 a 160.4km stage from Bollene to Valence / #UCIWT / on July 23, 2025 in Bollene, France. (Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2025-07-23T11:52:00.968Z

A slightly uphill start has allowed the likes of Iván Romeo (Movistar) and Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility) to launch some attacks. It’s a lot of big hitters at the front.

2025-07-23T11:50:31.639Z
160.4km to go

2025-07-23T11:49:32.934Z

Wout van Aert is right up the front from the start, but almost just crashed into the red lead car. Thankfully, he was more than skillful enough to keep things up.

2025-07-23T11:48:57.967Z

Talk from the start is, of course, that the day will come down to a sprint, but with many smaller teams not yet having any success at the Tour, a break could be likely. With small roads from the start of the day, the sprint teams will be trying to lock things up early.

2025-07-23T11:39:40.325Z

A crucial day for Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) in the green jersey and for his team. Will they be able to control things and make sure today ends in a sprint?

BOLLENE, FRANCE - JULY 23: Jonathan Milan of Italy and Team Lidl - Trek - Green Sprint Jersey prior to the 112th Tour de France 2025, Stage 17 a 160.4km stage from Bollene to Valence / #UCIWT / on July 23, 2025 in Bollene, France. (Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2025-07-23T11:35:43.360Z
Tour de France Stage 17 underway

2025-07-23T11:26:32.884Z

Huge reception and introduction for Valentin Paret-Peintre after his heroics on yesterday’s stage to Mont Ventoux. His Soudal-QuickStep team have one of the big favourites for stage 17 in Tim Merlier, and if he’s victorious in Valence, it will be the Belgian squad’s fifth victory of the 2025 race.

2025-07-23T11:22:23.840Z

After some words from Mark Cavendish about the great fans in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, the team presentation is about to wind to a close with UAE Team Emirates-XRG and yellow jersey Tadej Pogačar now on stage.

2025-07-23T11:11:21.484Z

Just 25 minutes to the neutralised roll-out from Bollène.

2025-07-23T11:01:58.025Z

Today’s finish location Valence has played host to several Tour de France stages in the past, as both a transition away and towards the Alps, as it is today. The last three winners there have all been sprint royalty: Andre Greipel, Peter Sagan, and most recently Mark Cavendish, in 2021.

VALENCE, FRANCE - JULY 06: Mark Cavendish of The United Kingdom and Team Deceuninck - Quick-Step Green Points Jersey Green Points Jersey stage winner celebrates at arrival, Wout Van Aert of Belgium and Team Jumbo-Visma & Jasper Philipsen of Belgium and Team Alpecin-Fenix during the 108th Tour de France 2021, Stage 10 a 190,7km stage from Albertville to Valence / @LeTour / #TDF2021 / on July 06, 2021 in Valence, France. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

Cavendish won in Valence four years ago (Image credit: Getty Images)

2025-07-23T10:54:13.199Z

Full update here on Johannessen and how he was treated to be able to start today, via Uno-X Mobility’s Instagram.

2025-07-23T10:53:25.842Z

Uno-X Mobility are on stage and there’s good news as Tobias Halland Johannessen is going to start stage 17 despite requiring oxygen at the summit of Mont Ventoux yesterday.

MONT VENTOUX, FRANCE - JULY 22: Tobias Halland Johannessen of Norway and Team Uno-X Mobility crosses the finish line during the 112th Tour de France 2025, Stage 16 a 171.5km stage from Montpellier to Mont Ventoux 1902m / #UCIWT / on July 22, 2025 in Mont Ventoux, France. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

Johannessen was in visible pain at the finish on stage 16 (Image credit: Getty Images)

2025-07-23T10:35:30.963Z

There’s barely been a day off for the GC riders at this year’s Tour, so don’t expect a quiet day for the likes of Pogačar and Vingegaard. They will need to be on red alert throughout the day.

As it stands, though, the Slovenian is well in control, after smashing the Mont Ventoux KOM record yesterday, and extending his lead by two seconds after matching all of Vingegaard’s attacks on stage 16.

‘I’m definitely not Superman’ – Tadej Pogačar insists business as usual after maintaining Tour de France lead with record-breaking Mont Ventoux ascent

2025-07-23T10:28:53.285Z

The neutralised start for today will come at 13:35 (CEST), with the flag drop scheduled for 13:50.

2025-07-23T10:26:27.338Z

The team presentation in Bollène is getting underway now, with Intermarché-Wanty the first squad up on stage. They have one of the favourites for the day among their ranks in last year’s green jersey Biniam Girmay.

2025-07-23T10:17:14.923Z

Or, for an alternative look into one of cycling’s most iconic climbs, read Matilda Price’s great colour piece from a day on the ‘Giant of Provence’:

Chaos and calm on Mont Ventoux – Reflections from the Tour de France

Picture by Zac Williams/SWpix.com - 22/07/2025 - Cycling - 2025 Tour de France Stage 16, Montpellier - Mont Ventoux, France - The grupetto make their way to the summit.

(Image credit: Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

2025-07-23T10:15:59.856Z

If you somehow missed the crazy action on Mont Ventoux from yesterday’s stage 16, make sure to catch up with our stage report:

Tour de France stage 16: Frenchman Valentin Paret-Peintre conquers Mont Ventoux as Tadej Pogačar survives barrage of attacks from Jonas Vingegaard

Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE Team Emirates - XRG - Yellow leader jersey crosses the finish line ahead of Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark and Team Visma | Lease a Bike during the 112th Tour de France 2025, Stage 16 a 171.5km stage from Montpellier to Mont Ventoux 1902m / #UCIWT / on July 22, 2025 in Mont Ventoux, France. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2025-07-23T10:11:01.837Z

The Tour peloton will be one rider smaller at the start of stage 17, but for a heartwarming reason, with Danny van Poppel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) leaving the race after the birth of his daughter, Bobbie.

2025-07-23T10:04:38.132Z

A look at the profile for the day, with a flat finish looking likely. However, those without a top sprinter and some strong rouleurs will surely be eyeing up a breakaway.

Tour de France stage 17 profile

Tour de France stage 17 profile (Image credit: ASO)

2025-07-23T10:01:30.282Z

We’re around an hour and a half away from the start in Bollène. The riders will head north for 160.4km to the finish in Valence.

2025-07-03T13:28:19.905Z

Bonjour and welcome back to Cyclingnews’ live coverage of the 2025 Tour de France, with stage 17 set to bring the sprinters back into play.