The Tour heads north through the Rhône Valley on stage 17, offering a welcome reprieve from the mountains before the final Alpine showdown. From Bollène to Valence, the 161km route gives the sprinters one of their last realistic shots at a stage win in this year’s race – provided their teams can keep the breakaway in check.
With just two category four climbs along the way and a flat final 40km, the terrain favours a bunch finish. But after over two weeks of racing, tired legs and limited team resources may open the door to a surprise from the breakaway.
The route – vineyard roads and Rhône Valley rollers
Riders will leave Bollène, a first-time host town, and start with a steady rise toward the Col du Pertuis (cat. 4, 3.6km at 4.1%), which tops out at just over 600 metres above sea level. From there, the course undulates gently, passing through lavender fields and vineyards, with the intermediate sprint coming at Roche-Saint-Secret-Béconne (km 47.9).
The second categorised climb, the Col de Tartaiguille (cat. 4, 3.6km at 3.5%) arrives 43km from the finish. From its summit, the road descends gradually back into the valley, with a flat run-in that should be easy to control for any teams motivated to deliver a sprinter to the line.
Valence has hosted the Tour multiple times this century, and recent history shows a clear trend: bunch sprints. Peter Sagan, Mark Cavendish, and André Greipel have all taken wins here, and this year’s profile again lends itself to a fast finish. The only technical feature is a left-hand bend in the final 500 metres, making positioning crucial.
What’s on offer
Date: Wednesday, 23rd July
Distance: 161km
Start/Finish: Bollène – Valence
Sprint:
Roche-Saint-Secret-Béconne (km 47.9)
Climbs:
Col du Pertuis (cat. 4, km 66.3)
Col de Tartaiguille (cat. 4, km 117)
Prediction
There aren’t many sprint opportunities left, and Lidl-Trek know it. Expect them to throw full weight behind Jonathan Milan to bring back any break and tee up the stage. He’s been the most consistent sprinter across the Tour so far, and stage 17 offers the right combination of manageable terrain and a clean run-in. We’re backing Milan to take his third win of the race in Valence.
