Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates delivered a decisive sprint on a day when the Tour de France showcased its grit, finishing ahead of the yellow jersey in stage 17. The race tracked over more than 130 kilometers, from Saint-Gaudens to Peyragudes, while Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark kept a relentless pace, refusing to yield a single meter on the climb-filled route.
With this victory Pogacar earned his third stage win in this edition. His teammate had already set up the move, supporting the attack that culminated in the final dash. Brandon McNulty, an American rider, held third place on Val Louron with a time loss of 32 seconds and completed the 340-meter ramp at a demanding 17 percent gradient, a crucial moment in the day’s ascent.
Winner of stage 17 of the Tour de France 2022: Tadej Pogacar
EP
On the following Thursday, stage 18 covered 143.5 kilometers from Lourdes to Hautacam. The route included two hors catégorie climbs, passing the Col d’Aubisque and entering the ascent to Hautacam and the Col de Spandelles. It stood as the final mountainous test of the duel between two-time champion Pogacar and his rival Vingegaard, with the mountains shaping the race’s outcome.
The overall ranking after stage 16 of the 2022 Tour de France is as follows:
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Jonas Vingegaard Rasmussen (DEN/Jumbo-Visma) 67:53:54
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Tadej Pogacar (SLO/UAE Emirates) – 00:02:18
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Geraint Thomas (GBR/Ineos Grenadiers) 00:04:56
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Nairo Quintana (COL/ Arkea-Samsic Team) 00:07:53
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David Gaudu (FRA/ Groupama-FDJ) 00:07:57
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Romain Bardet (FRA/ Team DSM) 00:09:21
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Louis Meintjes (RSA/Intermarche) 00:09:24
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Aleksandr Vlasov (RUS/Bora-Hansgrohe) 00:09:56
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Adam Yates (GBR/Ineos Grenadiers) 00:14:33
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Enric Mas (Esp/ Movistar Team) 00:16:35
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Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ/ Astana-Kazakhstan Team) 00:16:50
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Neilson Powless (US/EF-EasyPost) 00:27:07
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Valentin Madouas (FRA/ Groupama-FDJ) 00:27:36
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Bob Jungels (FRA/ AG2R Citroen Team) 00:31:35
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Thomas Pidcock (GBR/Ineos Grenadiers) 00:32:23
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Luis Leon Sánchez (ESP/Bahrain-Victory) 00:36:58
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Patrick Konrad (GER/ Bora-Hansgrohe) 00:41:26
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Thibaut Pinot (FRA/ Groupama-FDJ) 00:41:50
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Sepp Kuss (NED/ JUMBO – VISMA) 00:54:22
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Dylan Teuns (BRN/ BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS) 00:59:28
As the race pushed toward its most demanding climbs, Pogacar demonstrated form and strategy that underscored his status among the sport’s elite climbers and sprint finish specialists. Vingegaard matched the pace and pressed the limits on every ascent, while the rest of the field chased theразs for the stage honours and overall lead. The stage result reinforced Pogacar’s resilience and tactical acumen, keeping the pressure on the general classification contenders as the Tour intensified in its mountain chapters.
In the broader context, stage outcomes contribute to a dynamic leaderboard where seconds separate the leaders. The ongoing duel between Pogacar and Vingegaard captured the imagination of fans, with the mountains offering a stern test and the final sprint highlighting Pogacar’s speed and late-race instincts. The competition remained a showcase of strategic riding, endurance, and seamless teamwork among the UAE Emirates squad, paired with the relentless pursuit from other top GC contenders and sprinters alike. The narrative of the 2022 Tour de France continued to unfold with drama, grit, and the ever-present question of who would wear the yellow jersey at the end of the journey.