FAB FROOME EDGES CLOSER TO TREBLE
Brit edges closer to Tour hat-trick
CHRIS FROOME moved closer to a third successive Tour De France triumph as he extended his lead to 27 seconds after stage 17.
But Marcel Kittel, who was wearing the green jersey as top points scorer, was forced to retire from the race after crashing early on.
Team Sky’s Froome was third in a thrilling mountain stage won by Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic as rival Fabio Aru slipped from second to fourth overall.
Colombia’s Rigoberto Uran and Frenchman Romain Bardet are now his closest challengers with both sitting 27 seconds behind.
There are only four stages of the race remaining, with a potentially crucial summit finish in Izoard today, and Froome is homing on a fourth title in just five years.
Froome, who had lost the yellow jersey on stage 12 before reclaiming it 48 hours later, said: “I didn’t have the legs in the Pyrenees.
“But now I feel strong. I’ve also got to look towards tomorrow because it’s a summit finish on Izoard.”
German ace Kittel, the winner of five stages this year, injured his right shoulder in a crash on a flat section of road just 20km into the stage.
Australia’s Michael Matthews, who was nine points adrift, will take over the green jersey and holds a 160-point advantage over Andre Greipel.
British sprinter Dan McLay, who was last in the overall classification, pulled out of the race.
Simon Yates – wearing the best young riders’ white jersey – also struggled, finishing three minutes and 14 seconds behind Roglic.
That saw him concede 90 seconds to rival Louis Meintjes in the battle for white although Yates still has a cushion of two minutes 28 seconds.
Yates said: “I did well to limit my losses really.”
Roglic attacked six kilometres from the summit of the Galibier and made it pay to deliver Slovenia’s first Tour de France stage win.
The 27-year-old said: “It’s normal that everyone wants to be here but somehow it’s a bit different and already a big thing that I am here after only five years on my bike.”