German Geschke wins Stage 17
July 22, 2015
German Simon Geschke was rewarded for his gutsy attack on the final descent towards the Pra Loup ski station as he claimed his first Tour de France win on Stage 17.
The 29-year-old became the 25th German to win a stage of cycling's most prestigious event, nailing the final descent after difficult mountainous conditions to come across the line quickest.
"Everybody dreams of moments like this as a child," he said after the race. "I knew I had to fight through the threshold. I had cramps at the last incline, but today everything was perfect."
Geschke held off the pressure from American Andrew Talansky with Colombian Rigoberto Uran of Etixx-Quick Step finishing third.
It's the fifth stage win of this year's Tour for German riders - three of them were secured by 33-year-old Andre Greipel.
However, Team Sky's Chris Froome remains in the lead and keeps the yellow jersey with four races to go before the conclusion of the Tour on Sunday in Paris.
Froome has a three-minute cushion ahead of Colombia's Nairo Quintana who has recovered from a difficult start in the second half of the Tour.
Alejandro Valverde lies in third, whilst last year's champion Vincenzo Nibali languishes in seventh and eight minutes off the lead.
Thursday's stage of the Tour is the 185-kilometer route from Gap to Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne where the riders will need to overcome seven sets of climbs and a flat race, which should suit the sprinters at the end.