A massive crash on rain-slicked roads in the final kilometer of Stage 17 dashed the hopes of over a dozen riders, including Eritrean star Biniam Girmay. The late-race chaos, however, cleared a path for Italy’s Jonathan Milan to seize a decisive victory and solidify his claim on the Tour de France 2025 green jersey.
Capitalizing on the incident, Milan out-sprinted Jordi Meeus to claim his second victory of this year’s Tour, following his win in Stage 8. The result all but secures his victory in the points classification, a title won by Girmay in 2024. With only four stages remaining, the sprinters’ next major opportunity is expected to be the traditional finale in Paris.
In the general classification, defending champion Tadej Pogačar holds a significant lead of 4 minutes and 15 seconds over two-time winner Jonas Vingegaard. Florian Lipowitz, leading the best young rider classification, sits third overall, 9 minutes and 3 seconds behind Pogačar.
The peloton now faces what is widely considered the most demanding day of the race: Stage 18. The brutal mountain stage will force riders to tackle 5,500 meters of vertical gain over a 171.5-kilometer (approx. 106.6 miles) route from Vif to the summit finish at Col de la Loze.
This queen stage features three legendary Hors Catégorie climbs: the Col du Glandon, Col de la Madeleine, and the final ascent to the Col de la Loze. Pogačar’s ability to navigate this grueling test will be critical in his pursuit of a fourth Tour de France title. The final climb to the finish is a 26.2-kilometer effort with an average gradient of 6.5% and sections that hit double-digit steepness, promising a dramatic battle among the top contenders.
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