Tour de France 2025 Stage 17 - Jonathan Milan wins his second stage as flamme rouge crash takes out Tim Merlier and others

As the race rolls out, neutrally, from Bollene, we get a glimpse of who is motivated for this stage not to serve up a big bunch sprint. Will anyone help Lidl-Trek control? Soudal-QuickStep picked have the other best sprinter but they picked up their fourth stage win yesterday and can already go home very happy. I'm sure they'd like a fifth, but it might be a good day to call Trek's bluff.

As Robbie McEwen points out, you put this stage in the first week, it's a nailed on sprint. With week 3 legs, it's 50-50.

1. Jonathan Milan 251 points
2. Tadej Pogacar 240
3. Biniam Girmay 169
4. Tim Merlier 150
5. Jonas Vingegaard 150

If Pogacar had pushed a bit earlier he'd be even closer. With more opportunities for climbers and few for the sprinters, it's hard not to think that Milan needs every one of the 70 on offer today to be in green on Sunday. He'll at least be grateful for the early intermediate sprint.

I was among the crowds Montmartre for both the men's and women's Olympics road races last year, and I've also been there for the traditional finish on the Champs Elysees on several occasions. Whether or not we see a win by the yellow jersey, we ought to see a real race. I can't wait!

It's not a straightforward start, which will favour the early break, but it's that mid-stage 4th category climb that should prove decisive. It's length is sufficient to allow certain teams, should they wish, to permanently distance those riders who struggle when the road heads uphilll. That may not mean all of them, but it should mean some.

BIENVENUE
Good morning and welcome to live text coverage of Stage 17 of the men’s Tour de France 2025. There’ll be some hungover legs after the heroics of Ventoux, and some tired eyes as the Tour itself draws towards its conclusion on Sunday. Today’s is the penultimate official flat stage, but is it flat enough to ensure it comes down to the big bunch sprint on which Jonathan Milan’s green jersey dreams surely rest.

There are a lot of teams with little to show for the last three weeks and many of them will be eyeing the mid-stage mount with lustre. A fast, chaotic start followed by a hard ride uphill could be enough to put pay to sprinters ambitions, and could do unpredictable damage inside the GC too. It’s a difficult one to call, and it’s sure to be exciting.