The seventeenth stage of the Tour de France on Wednesday resulted in chaos. A large part of the riders were held up by a fall in front of the peloton, after which Jonathan Milan sprinted to his second stage victory. Tadej Pogacar retained the yellow jersey.
In the final phase of the largely flat stage to Valence, it started to rain harder and harder. That caused soaking wet roads. Under the banner of the last kilometer, things went wrong.
A rider at the front of the peloton fell and took a large part of his colleagues with him. Everyone behind the fall was held up. Only about ten escaped the chaos and were allowed to sprint for the stage victory.
Top sprinter Tim Merlier was no longer there, but Milan was. The Italian green jersey wearer of Lidl-Trek referred Jordi Meeus to second place. Tobias Andresen crossed the line third.
Since the crash took place in the final kilometers, everyone in the peloton was given the same time as the winner. Tadej Pogacar retained his yellow jersey. He still has a lead of more than four minutes over Jonas Vingegaard.
On Thursday, the peloton will move into the Alps. The Tour de France lasts until Sunday.